White-ball captain Mohammad Rizwan praised Saim Ayub and Agha Salman for their heroics against South Africa in the first ODI, as Pakistan clinched a thrilling three-wicket win on Tuesday in Paarl.
Chasing a 240-run target, the duo held their composer with the bat notching a 141-run stand for the fifth wicket to see the visitors cross the winning line.
Ayub was dismissed after a brisk 109 off 119 balls, while Salman remained unbeaten on 82 off 90.
The wicketkeeper batter during the post-match presentation commended the duo's composure under pressure.
"It was a team game. Their openers got a good start, but our spinners put the squeeze on them. Ayub and Agha played mature knocks. After a long time, we have seen a knock like Agha's," said Rizwan.
He also highlighted Agha Salman's sportsmanship in handing his Player of the Match award to Ayub.
"The ODI format is long, and you can always make a comeback. If you take wickets after the powerplay and in the middle overs, you will always be in the game. My job is to keep the team together, and I'm happy to see Agha give the award to Ayub," he added.
Despite a late collapse, Agha Salman held his nerve and sealed the win with a boundary in the final over, guiding Pakistan to 242/7 in 49.3 overs.
With this all-round effort, Agha Salman was named player of the match. However, in a heartwarming display of sportsmanship, he shared the award with Ayub.
Agha's four-wicket haul and an unbeaten 82 under pressure were pivotal in Pakistan's victory, but he acknowledged Ayub's century as the defining factor in the match.
"We were in a tricky position, but we took it one over at a time and built from there. His [Ayub's] knock set up the game. He stayed composed with the new ball and played brilliantly against the pacers on this challenging pitch," said Agha, praising Ayub's innings.
Saim Ayub, who struck his second century in just his last three ODI innings, also credited his partnership with Agha for stabilizing Pakistan after they slumped to 60 for 4.
"Obviously, it was difficult. We were four down, and on this track, you need to keep the belief. Agha bhai, being more experienced, kept guiding me throughout," Saim remarked.
Despite late drama with quick wickets, Agha's calmness and Naseem Shah's support ensured Pakistan crossed the line with three balls and three wickets to spare.
Earlier, South Africa managed 239/9 in their 50 overs, thanks to a crucial 73-run partnership between Heinrich Klaasen (86 off 97) and Aiden Markram (35 off 54).
Ryan Rickelton and Tony de Zorzi's 70-run opening stand gave the hosts a solid start, but Pakistan's spinners, led by Salman Ali Agha (4/32), dismantled the middle order.
Abrar Ahmed chipped in with two wickets, while Shaheen Afridi and Saim Ayub took one each.
The victory gives Pakistan a 1-0 lead in the series, with the second ODI set to take place tomorrow in Cape Town.
Markram highlighted the positives while acknowledging areas for improvement ahead of the second ODI in Cape Town.
"We were aiming for 270-290, but unfortunately fell short. We need to reflect on our performance in both departments and find solutions for Cape Town," Markram said. Despite South Africa being restricted to 239 runs after a promising start, Markram praised his openers, Tony de Zorzi and Ryan Rickelton, for providing a solid platform.
Markram admitted the team was "80% there" with both bat and ball but emphasized the importance of ironing out the gaps. "The two boys gave us a good start. There are positives to take, but we need to find consistency," he added.
Despite the loss, Markram lauded his team's fighting spirit, which brought the game down to the final over. "I'm proud of the fight we showed and the way we took it to the last overit reflects the South African culture of resilience," he said.
