After losing the Test series, Pakistan started their limited overs campaign against South Africa on a positive note. They won their first ODI in Port Elizabeth by five wickets after getting a drubbing in the longest format of the game. Pakistan were thrashed 0-3 in the Test Series and were unable to handle the pace and bounce of the South African bowlers. They bounced back in the first ODI after chasing Proteas’ target convincingly.
Faf du Plessis won the toss and elected to field first. Imam-Ul-Haq and Fakhar Zaman took the strike for the visitors. But Imam soon departed after scoring just five runs. Kagiso Rabada bowled a short ball and Imam top-edged it straight into the hands of Andile Phehlukwayo.
Imam’s dismissal really annoyed former England cricketer Kevin Pietersen. The Pakistani batsmen have been susceptible to the short ball throughout the Test series. With Imam getting out on a bouncer, Pietersen questioned the approach of the batsmen after they have been playing in South Africa for the past month.
“Pakistan’s 1st wicket falls AGAIN to a short ball… What the hell????!!!! A month in SA and they still cannot play it! Weak & pathetic!” said Pietersen on Twitter.’
Pietersen had more reason to be annoyed by the Pakistani batsmen as they lost their second wicket also to a short ball. Babar Azam tried to pull a Rabada bouncer, but like Imam, he edged it and the ball went high up as Phehlukwayo took his second catch of the evening.
Pakistan are in dire straits in the second ODI at the moment after losing four wickets for just 58 runs. After Babar’s wicket, Mohammad Hafeez soon followed suit after losing his wicket to Phehlukwayo. Fakhar Zaman looked to be the only batsman to look sure in his innings but he also could not stay on the crease for long as he departed for the score of 26 runs.