SA vs PAK 2024/25, South Africa vs Pakistan 3rd ODI, Johannesburg Match Report, 22 December 2024

On By Littum

Throw South Africa chose to bowl vs Pakistan

Temba Bavuma opted to chase in a rain-delayed third ODI at the Wanderers, in a series already lost to Pakistan. In the rain, the start of the game was pushed back 15 minutes and more rain is forecast in the evening, which could mean an adjusted goal as the game progresses.

That means 18-year-old tearaway Kwena Maphaka, schooled up the road from the ground at St Stithians, will get to bowl in front of his home crowd early on, while debutant Corbin Bosch will also be in action straight away. Bosch was included in the squad after Ottneil Baartman was ruled out with a knee injury and is also in South Africa’s Test squad to play Pakistan next week.
South Africa made another change to the XI that lost at Newlands. Kagiso Rabada was brought into the line-up with Andile Phehlukwayo and Tabraiz Shamsi sitting out while the batting remains unchanged.
Pakistan also stuck to the same top six but made three other changes to their squad. Tayyab Tahir replaced Irfan Khan as the no. 7, while seamer Mohammad Hasnain and leg-spinner Sufiyan Muqeem were brought in for Haris Rauf and Abrar Ahmed.

Pakistan have already won the series but South Africa have a lot to play for. Not only will it be the last time they will have their strongest available squad at their disposal before the Champions Trophy, but the match is the annual Pink Day event, which raises awareness and funds for breast cancer prevention and treatment.

South Africa: 1 Temba Bavuma (capt), 2 Tony de Zorzi, 3 Rassie van der Dussen, 4 Aiden Markram, 5 Heinrich Klaasen (wk), 6 David Miller, 7 Marco Jansen, 8 Corbin Bosch, 9 Bjorn Fortuin, 10 Kwena Maphaka, 11 Kagiso Rabada

Pakistan: 1 Saim Ayub, 2 Abdullah Shafique, 3 Babar Azam, 4 Mohammad Rizwan (capt, wk), 5 Salman Ali Agha, 6 Kamran Ghulam, 7 Tayyab Tahir, 8 Shaheen Shah Afridi, 9 Naseem Shah, 10 Mohammad Hasnain Muq1eem