South Africa vs Pakistan, 3rd WODI: Sadaf Shamas, bowlers star in Pakistan's consolation win

Match Overview

South Africa and Pakistan faced off in the third and final women’s ODI of the three-match series at Kingsmead, Durban, on March 1. South Africa skipper Laura Wolvaardt won the toss and elected to field first. 

Like the preceding T20I series, which Pakistan lost 2-1 but ended with a consolation win, they clinched the third and final ODI of the series by a massive 119-run margin.

Opener Sadaf Shamas' 82-ball 97, laced with 16 fours and a six, and skipper Fatima’s quickfire 41-ball 60 guided Pakistan to a formidable 306 for 7 before the bowlers restricted South Africa to 187 in 36.2 overs, ensuring that they ended the series on a high.

Shamas, who started the series with a two-ball duck, returned to form in the previous game, scoring a 62-ball 61 in her team’s narrow 16-run loss in a high-scorer. She carried that form from Centurion to Durban, being the chief architect of Pakistan’s brilliant total.

Annerie Dercksen removed opener Gul Feroza early, but Shamas and Sidra Amin (41 off 64) forged a 130-run stand for the second wicket. Sune Luus struck twice in quick succession, removing Shamas only three short of her century with a return catch. She then cleaned up Sidra in the next over, leaving Pakistan 164 for 3 in the 27th over.

Ayesha Zafar (24 off 30) and Najha Alvi (36 off 46) kept the scoreboard moving. Zafar eventually fell to Nonkululeko Mlaba’s left-arm spin, while Luus soon had her third wicket as she removed Umm-e-Hani cheaply. Despite the wickets falling at the other end, skipper Fatima counterattacked and hit five sixes and three fours in her 41-ball 60 to launch Pakistan past 300.

Pakistan’s bowlers matched their batting effort with a spirited performance, reducing South Africa to 7 for 3 inside the first two overs, as Tazmin Brits was dismissed in the first over of the chase before Fatima landed a double blow in the second, removing Wolvaardt and Luus.

Dercksen, the chief architect of South Africa’s win in the previous game, joined forces with Faye Tunnicliffe, adding 85 runs for the fourth wicket, and then another 50 for the fifth with wicketkeeper Sinalo Jafta, to restore calm.

But the hosts went downhill from there as Tunnicliffe gave a return catch to Nashra Sandhu for 47 off 51, while Sadia and Umm-e-Hani dismissed Jafta and Dercksen respectively through the same mode of dismissal off consecutive overs to seal the fate of the game. South Africa slipped from 142 for 4 to 187 all out with Sadia cleaning up the tail.

Sadia returned figures of 3 for 41, while skipper Fatima, Sandhu and Umm-e-Hani scalped two apiece. 

Top run-scorer of the match

Top wicket-taker of the match

Player of the match

Sadaf Shamas

Shamas continued her good form from the previous match, which Pakistan lost by 16 runs after giving the hosts a good fight. Shamas struck 16 fours and a six and her 97-run knock laid the foundation of a match-winning total.