Pakistan won the toss at Lords and opted to bat first. And they got off to a fast start through their openers Imam ul-Haq and Fakhar Zaman who put on 81 for the first wicket until Zaman, who had scored 44, including one six, played an ugly shot to Imran Tahir, and was caught by Hashim Amla at first slip. Ul-Haq also reached 44, before he was brilliantly caught and bowled by Tahir, who was booed by Pakistan supporters over an earlier catch which was not given.
Babar Azam and Mohammad Hafeez put on 45, but the South Africans had really put the brakes on the scoring rate, and the pressure paid when Hafeez was lbw to Aiden Markram for 20. Babar and Haris Sohail then added 81 for the fourth wicket, until Babar, who had accumulated 69 was caught at deep extra cover by Lungu Ngidi off the bowling of Andile Phehlukwayo.
Then Haris and Wasim combined in a stand of 71 for the fifth wicket, as Pakistan started to up the scoring rate, until Wasim was caught by the substitute fielder off the bowling of Ngidi for 23. In the hunt for late runs, the Pakistanis gifted South Africa two more late wickets in the final over, Wahab Riaz and then Haris, who fell for 89, having struck 3 sixes and 9 fours.
Still, their final total of 308 – 7 was a tough one for South Africa to chase.
Their task appear to get even harder when Hashim Amla fell lbw to Mohammad Amir off the seventh ball of their innings, but Quinton de Kock and Faf du Plessis got their innings back on track with a stand of 87 for the second wicket. However, when he had reached 47, and having struck 2 sixes, de Kock was caught by Imam off the bowling of Shadab Khan, who then bowled Markram cheaply to peg back South Africa further. Du Plessis and Rassie van der Dussen added 33, but du Plessis was the next man to fall, caught behind off Amir for 63.
South Africa’s last major hope was the partnership between van der Dussen and David Miller, and the pair added 53 together, before both fell in successive overs. Van der Dussen was the first to go, caught by Hafeez off Shadab for 36, and then Miller was bowled by Shaheen Afridi for 31. Phehlukwayo and Chis Morris made 30 together, but Morris was then bowled by Wahab for 16, as the required run rate became almost impossible. Wahab then picked up two more late wickets, as South Africa closed their innings on 259 – 9. Phehlukwayo was 46 not out at the end, but his side had fallen well short on the day.