Saim Ayub made history for Pakistan on Sunday by scoring a match-winning century in the third ODI against South Africa, cementing his place in an exclusive list of cricketers, including Virat Kohli, with multiple centuries in a bilateral ODI series in South Africa.
Pakistan, defending a target of 309, bowled South Africa out for 271 in just 42 overs of the 47-over match. Sufiyan Muqeem was the star with the ball, taking four wickets, while Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah claimed two wickets each. Earlier, Pakistan posted 308/9 in 47 overs, largely thanks to Ayub’s brilliant 101 off 94 balls, which included 13 fours and two sixes.
This century marked Ayub’s second of the series and placed him alongside the likes of David Warner, Fakhar Zaman, and Joe Root, who have all scored two centuries in South Africa during a bilateral ODI series. Only a few cricketers, including Kevin Pietersen and Virat Kohli, have managed to score three centuries in South Africa across several ODI matches.
Pakistan’s 36-run victory, achieved through the DLS method, sealed a historic 3-0 whitewash of South Africa, making them the first team to achieve such a feat on South African soil in an ODI series. After the match, Ayub, who was named Player of the Match and Player of the Series, expressed his gratitude, saying, “Very special because we won. This award is for the team. The entire team chipped in. As a young player, I look to learn from every game. I look to learn from every mistake. The seniors help me learn.”
Pakistan’s captain Mohammad Rizwan also praised the team’s collective effort, stating, “Always a proud moment. The nation expects such things from us. We are happy. The whole team gave effort. The second ODI, everyone performed. That was a perfect team game.” He further lauded Ayub’s contribution, emphasizing, “We trust him and believe in his talent.”
