Pakistan has achieved what teams around the world have been dreaming of for 33 years. They whitewashed South Africa in their own home in the ODI series. In this way, they became the first team to clean-sweep South Africa in an ODI series on their home ground. South Africa played its first ODI series in 1991-92. Since then, this is the first time that a clean sweep has been witnessed in an ODI series in their own home. However, this is just one of the sensations created by the Pakistani team. Apart from this, there are other sensations too. But, before coming to that, it is important to talk about what happened in the current ODI series. After all, how did Pakistan succeed in a clean sweep?
Pakistan team played a series of 3 ODIs on the South Africa tour and won all three. In the third ODI of 47-47 overs, Pakistan team batting first scored 308 runs for 9 wickets. Saim Ayub once again scored a brilliant century from Pakistan side, due to which the team crossed the 300 mark and increased the difficulties of South Africa. When South Africa team came out to chase the target, it was reduced to 271 runs and lost the match by 36 runs. With this, Pakistan also did a clean sweep in the ODI series. Earlier, Pakistan had won the first ODI played in Durban by 3 wickets. While in the second ODI played in Cape Town, Pakistan registered a big victory by 81 runs.
One thing was common in all the three matches of the ODI series won in South Africa. Pakistan's team lost the toss in all three matches but managed to win the matches. In other words, Mohammad Rizwan may not have become the boss of the toss but he has definitely become the first captain to have achieved a clean sweep in an ODI series played in South Africa.
Along with the clean sweep, Pakistan has also become the first Asian team to win the ODI series in South Africa not once but thrice. Before 2024, the Pakistan team has also won the ODI series in South Africa in 2013 and 2021.
