JOHANNESBURG: After a series loss to Pakistan at home, South African skipper Temba Bavuma expressed disappointment with the result, saying that the team has “more questions than answers” and needs to have “deep introspection as a team and at the individual level”.
The Proteas sank to a historic low as fine knocks from Saim Ayub, Babar Azam and Mohammed Rizwan, followed by some disciplined bowling led by spinner Sufiyan Muqeem helped Pakistan hand SA their first-ever ODI series whitewash at home despite a third-successive, fighting fifty by Heinrich Klaasen.
During the post-match presentation, Bavuma expressed disappointment with the result and called Klaasen, who top-scored with 264 runs at an average of 88.33 and three fifties, as a “shining light” for the team who batted on a different pitch.
“A disappointing end to the series. We have more questions than answers. Need to have deep introspection as a team and individually. Klaasen was the shining light. He was batting on a different pitch. We saw why he is seen with such high regard. We will be donning the whites. We need to get over these emotions as quite a few of us will be playing the Tests,” the skipper said.
South Africa won the toss and elected to field first. After the fall of Abdullah Shafique for a duck, a 115-run stand between Ayub (101 in 94 balls, with 13 fours and two sixes) and Babar Azam (52 in 71 balls, with seven fours) and a 93-run stand for the third-wicket between Ayub and Rizwan (53 in 52 balls, with five fours and a six) served as major highlights as Pakistan reached a challenging total of 308/9 in 50 overs.
Kagiso Rabada (3/56 in 10 overs) was the top bowler for Proteas. Marco Jansen and Bjorn Fortuin also got two wickets.
In reply, Proteas lost wickets at regular intervals. Heinrich Klaasen (81 in 43 balls, with 12 fours and two sixes) once again remained a lone warrior with third successive fifty as Temba Bavuma (8), Tony de Zorzi (26 in 23 balls, with two fours and two sixes), Aiden Markram (19 in 26 balls, with three fours), Rassie Van Der Dussen (35 in 52 balls, with four boundaries and a six) and David Miller (3) failed to support him with enough runs. Corbin Bosch (40* in 44 balls, with five fours) was left stranded with Proteas bundled out for 271/10 in 42 overs.
Spinner Sufiyan Muqeem (4/52) was the pick of the bowlers for Pakistan, while Naseem Shah and Shaheen Shah Afridi also got two wickets.
Ayub took home the ‘Player of the Match’ and ‘Player of the Series’ awards. (ANI)
Also Read: South Africa future secured in white-ball cricket under Bavuma’s captaincy
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