Tue Dec 17 17:30:00 UTC 2024: ## Pakistan’s Salman Agha Stars in First ODI Against South Africa
**PARL, SOUTH AFRICA –** Pakistan spinner Salman Agha delivered a stellar performance in the first One Day International (ODI) against South Africa on Tuesday, taking four crucial wickets for 32 runs. His impressive spell restricted South Africa to a total of 239/9 at Boland Park.
Agha’s spin proved too much for the South African batsmen, dismissing key players like Tony de Zorzi (33), Ryan Rickelton (36), Van der Dussen (8), and Tristan Stubbs (1). Despite his dominant performance, Agha bowled only eight overs, a decision that surprised many. Captain Mohammad Rizwan opted not to utilize Agha to his full potential, despite his early success.
Heinrich Klaasen top-scored for South Africa with 86 runs before being dismissed by Shaheen Afridi.
Pakistan’s chase got off to a poor start with Abdullah Shafique being dismissed for a duck. Despite a fighting innings from Babar Azam, who scored 28 runs before being caught, Pakistan’s run chase was hampered by his continued poor form. Azam has not scored an ODI fifty since November 2023, highlighting a concerning slump in his performance across all formats.
First Piper 