Pakistan secured a commanding seven-wicket victory over South Africa in the third ODI at Faisalabad on November 8, 2025, winning the series 2-1. This was Pakistan’s first-ever ODI series win against South Africa on home soi.
Abrar Ahmed delivered a career-best performance with figures of 4 for 27 to dismantle South Africa’s batting lineup. After South Africa won the toss and chose to bat first, they started strongly with Quinton de Kock and Lhuan-dre Pretorius adding 72 runs for the first wicket. However, the visitors collapsed from 106 for 2 to 143 all out in just 37.5 overs.
In response, Saim Ayub’s unbeaten 77 off 70 balls helped Pakistan reach the target with almost 25 overs to spare . The comfortable win gave captain Shaheen Shah Afridi his first series victory as ODI skipper.
Sources: ESPNcricinfo Match Report, CricTracker
Match Scorecard
| Team | Score | Overs | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Africa | 143 all out | 37.5 | Lost by 7 wickets |
| Pakistan | 144/3 | 25.1 | Won with 149 balls remaining |
Top Performers
| Player | Team | Role | Performance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abrar Ahmed | Pakistan | Bowler | 4/27 in 10 overs (Player of the Match) |
| Saim Ayub | Pakistan | Batsman | 77* off 70 balls (11 fours, 1 six) |
| Quinton de Kock | South Africa | Batsman | 53 off 70 balls |
| Salman Agha | Pakistan | All-rounder | 2/18 in 4 overs |
| Shaheen Shah Afridi | Pakistan | Bowler | 2/18 in 4.5 overs |
Key Moments
- De Kock reached 7000 ODI runs, becoming the second-fastest to this milestone behind Hashim Amla, achieving it in 158 innings
- Abrar Ahmed destroyed South Africa’s middle order with three wickets in just two overs
- Debutant Rubin Hermann was bowled after failing to pick Abrar’s googly
- Corbin Bosch was dismissed first ball by Abrar, undone by the low bounce
- Pakistan started their chase poorly as Nandre Burger dismissed Fakhar Zaman for a duck for the second straight game
- Saim Ayub brought up his fifty off just 39 balls to set up the comfortable victory
- Babar Azam was run out for 27 when attempting a third run
Analysis
Pakistan’s spinners proved to be the difference in this match. Eight wickets by Pakistan’s spinners became the most for them against South Africa in an ODI innings. The slow, low pitch at Faisalabad suited the home team’s bowling attack perfectly.
South Africa’s batting collapsed dramatically after being 106 for 2, with only the lower order showing some resistance. Shaheen Afridi wrapped up the innings with two wickets in two balls.
Pakistan’s chase started nervously, but Saim Ayub’s aggressive approach changed the game. Although not always in control of his shots, Ayub did not hesitate playing them and often took the aerial route. His partnership with Mohammad Rizwan (32 not out) ensured there were no further hiccups.
What’s Next
With the ODI series wrapped up 2-1 in Pakistan’s favor, the all-format series has come to an end, with the Men in Green emerging dominant in the white-ball segments after the two-match Test series was drawn. Both teams will now turn their attention to upcoming international fixtures as they continue preparations for future tournaments.
Quinton de Kock was named Player of the Series despite the defeat, overtaking Hashim Amla and AB de Villiers to claim seven Player of the Series awards in ODIs.