HEADING into their Champions Trophy title defence, Pakistan are hitting the right notes. Mohammad Rizwan’s charges made history on Sunday, becoming the first team to sweep South Africa in a bilateral One-day International series in their own backyard after winning the rain-affected third and final match by 36 runs in Johannesburg. It marked a fifth ODI series triumph on the trot for Pakistan, having beaten New Zealand, Afghanistan, Australia and Zimbabwe in their last four. Rizwan, meanwhile, has become the first captain to have led Pakistan to ODI series victories in Australia and South Africa. And so, the change in appointing him as skipper ahead of the Australia series has worked out; the team looks revitalised. Opener Saim Ayub struck two centuries in the series, anchoring the chase in the first game before laying the ground for a solid total in the third. Former skipper Babar Azam signalled his return to form with two half-centuries in the last two matches. Rizwan did the same. Newcomer Kamran Ghulam showcased his repertoire with a blazing half-century in the second game. Vice-captain Salman Ali Agha contributed with bat and ball while pace spearhead Shaheen Shah Afridi has recovered his mojo. There are concerns, though, over fellow fast bowler Haris Rauf, who went wicketless in the two matches he played, while Saim’s opening partner Abdullah Shafique is out of touch, returning three consecutive ducks in the series.

Calls for the return of opener Fakhar Zaman will only grow louder and Pakistan will need to address them as they prepare to host their first international tournament in February since they co-hosted the 1996 World Cup. However, aiming to hold on to the title they won in 2017, the national team looks unified. Pakistan face South Africa and New Zealand at home in a tri-nation series ahead of the Champions Trophy. If they carry on performing well, they will be the team to beat at the tournament.

Published in Dawn, December 24th, 2024