Spinners, Salman Agha set up Pakistan's nervy win in Faisalabad

A strong comeback from the spinners, and fifties from Mohammad Rizwan and Salman Agha underlined Pakistan's nervy two-wicket win over South Africa in the first ODI in Faisalabad, where international cricket returned after a gap of 17 years. In what was also Shaheen Afridi's first match as ODI captain, Pakistan chased a target of 264 with two balls to spare, marking the highest successful chase at the venue and their fifth successive win over South Africa in ODIs.

Going after a par score, Pakistan's openers Fakhar Zaman (45) and Saim Ayub (39) added 87 runs for the first wicket before a brief mid-innings wobble saw them lose three wickets for 18 runs. Donovan Ferreira struck in consecutive overs to remove both the openers whereas Babar Azam was pinned in front by Bjorn Fortuin.

Mohammad Rizwan's calm 55 off 74 and a stabilising 91-run stand for the fourth wicket with Salman Agha (62) helped revive the chase. Rizwan played with soft hands against spin and picked gaps with control while Salman grew in confidence, mixing sweeps and late cuts to rotate strike. Their stand carried Pakistan past the tricky middle overs before Rizwan fell to Corbin Bosch in the 39th over.

Hussain Talat's cameo (22 off 25) then covered up for the wobble that would follow soon after, seeing the hosts go from 241/4 to 252/7 in some late drama. But the hard work had been done by the spinners earlier in the day, meaning Pakistan had the target well within reach despite the missteps and panic.

South Africa, with the bat, rode a sparkling 98-run opening stand but went on to be bundled out for 263 in 49.1 overs. Lhuan-dre Pretorius (57 off 60), one of the three debutants from his side, was fluent from the start and Quinton de Kock (63 off 71), back in ODIs after two years, matched him for tempo as Pakistan's bowlers struggled with the new ball on a slow surface.

Saim Ayub's offspin broke the stand by having Pretorius caught at backward point and later prised out Tony de Zorzi (18) with a sharply turning ball for a return catch. Between those two dismissals, Naseem Shah sent back de Kock, who chopped on, even as Pakistan's spinners tightened the screws through the middle.

Captain Matthew Breetzke (42) and Sinethemba Qeshile (22) threatened to lift the rate but Mohammad Nawaz removed Qeshile and Abrar Ahmed's late spell ripped through the middle order. Breetzke holed out, Bjorn Fortuin was lbw next ball and Lungi Ngidi survived only through an inside-edge review in a double-wicket maiden. From 191/3, the visitors slid to 228/8 and that was perhaps the match for Pakistan.

Corbin Bosch countered with a 41 off 40 before Shaheen Afridi's yorker finally beat him in the 49th over. Naseem ended the innings by getting through the defences of Lizaad Williams, keeping South Africa down to a gettable score and paving the way for Pakistan's 1-0 lead in the three-match series.

Brief Scores: South Africa 263 in 49.1 overs (de Kock 63; Naseem 3-40, Abrar 3-53) lost to Pakistan 264/9 in 49.4 overs (Agha 62, Rizwan 55; Bosch 2-32, Ngidi 2-46) by 2 wickets.