Updated on
Summary
South Africa cruised to 207 for two and a comfortable eight-wicket win in the first one-day international against Pakistan at the Sheik Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Friday. The hosts, after winning the toss and electing to bat, had looked well in control of proceedings as they reached 140 for one in the 31st over. But, on a pitch that became slower and lower as the innings wore on, Pakistan proceeded to collapse in stunning fashion as they lost nine wickets for 63 runs in the space of 86 balls. Lonwabo Tsotsobe returned career-best figures as South Africa bowled Pakistan out for 203. The 26-year-old from Eastern Province took 4-27 off his ten tight overs as Pakistan lost their last eight wickets for a mere 46 runs after winning the toss and deciding to bat on a flat Abu Dhabi Stadium pitch. Tsotsobe's effort backed by disciplined spin bowling by Johan Botha (2-40) put brakes on Pakistan's innings after Mohammad Hafeez (68) and returning Younis Khan (54) put on 114 for the second wicket. Tsotsobe's triple strike followed as he removed Misbah-ul-Haq (14), Shahid Afridi (one) and Abdul Razzaq (two) to complete Pakistan's slide on a similar pattern of Twenty20 matches in which they were restricted to 119 and 120-9. South Africa were rarely troubled during their run-chase as half-centuries from AB de Villiers and Jacques Kallis saw the Proteas to 207 for two in the 41st overs. Amla (35) and Smith (18) made a solid start for South Africa with an opening stand of 29 before Smith was forced out of the contest. Amla was troubled by Akhtars pace early in his innings but he was just starting to look comfortable at the wicket before he was trapped leg-before by off-spinner Saeed Ajmal. With the score on 70 for one De Villiers joined Kallis at the crease and the duo put on 77 runs. De Villiers was in fluent form as he reached his half-century off 52 deliveries but one ball later he was on his way back the pavilion when he offered up a sharp caught and bowled effort to Ajmal. Kallis battled with dehydration early on in his innings but he fought his way to 66 off 88 balls, his 79th ODI fifty, before he had to be helped off the field after collapsing with cramp. Ajmal was the most successful Pakistan bowler on the night with figures of two for 42 while leg-spinner Afridi turned in a tidy spell conceding 36 runs off his 10 overs.
