Why SA Lost to PAK in the 3rd ODI of South Africa Tour of Pakistan 2025: 3 Key Reasons Behind the Defeat

The first day of action for South Africa in the bright lights of Faisalabad seemed promising. De Kock was playing well, Pretorius was looking confident, and the Proteas had an advantage with 72/1 on the board. They had established a solid base for a serious effort. However, as is typical with Pakistan at home, their script flips quicker than you can say “collapses.” That’s exactly what happened to the Proteas: they slowed, then collapsed, and eventually finished with 143; in just 25 overs, the Proteas chased them down. So let’s look back at how the Proteas transitioned from in control to in chaos.

From Platform to Panic — The Middle-Order Meltdown

With De Kock at 53 after being bowled by Mohammad Nawaz at 87/2, South Africa had ample opportunity to reach 250 plus easily. However, after his dismissal, the rest of the batting line-up disintegrated completely, with all of the next eight wickets falling for a total of 37 runs, a complete collapse of the middle order that highlighted the team’s lack of experience and poor decision-making. Breetzke was unable to muster a single run per ball over 35, and Ferreira and Bosch did not survive two consecutive deliveries from Abrar Ahmed.

The South African middle order has been an ongoing weakness of theirs throughout the tournament. There are far too many players with similar strokeplay styles, but not nearly enough players with temperament on a slow pitch in Faisalabad that rewards patience. The South Africans chose to go for flair as opposed to going after the solid focus, and the result was a collapse that destroyed all the good work de Kock did at the top of the order.

Abrar Ahmed’s Magical Web

Occasionally, a spinner will simply take some wickets, but in this case, Abrar Ahmed took wickets, as well as rewriting the story of a match with his 4/27. He had used his deceptions and control to bowl South Africa out. His variations were very cruel. Hermann was bowled by a googly, Ferreira was bowled around the legs, and Bosch was castled on the first delivery by another scorching wrong’un.

The spin of Abrar’s leg breaks was equivalent to miles; his movement in the air was misleading, but more than anything else, Abrar created doubt within himself as to how much of an impact they would have on South Africa’s batters. His ability to produce edge shots, create panic in the batter, and induce false shot selection – all these elements are examples of traditional forms of spin bowling that Abrar applied to a modern tempo. By the time Breetzke was caught behind using UltraEdge, Pakistan’s spinners had already taken down the core of the Proteas batting order. Instead of a collapse, this was a lesson in controlling spin.

The Familiar Problem — Failure to Adapt and Counter 

Adaptability in all things was South Africa’s weakness as spin was Pakistan’s weapon; from the coin flip to the back of the batting order, the South Africans were playing with a one-dimensional style. None of the batsmen attempted to play at the crease, nor did any of them attempt to sweep for Abrar or Nawaz, even though they had been exposed to some turn and bite. They continued to react on instinct instead of making adjustments to their plans of attack based on what was happening with Abrar and Nawaz.

Compare that to Pakistan’s run chase. Saim Ayub made 77 runs from 70 deliveries using an intelligent form of aggressive batting; he hit late on the drive, he played through the open spaces and punished anything weak or loose he could get away with, and took few if any unnecessary risks. The result was not impressive, but it was effective – the mark of a team that has a good understanding of its surroundings and environment. Meanwhile, South Africa continued to play cricket as they had done at Centurion and not as they would need to do at Faisalabad – when you are defending only 143, then there is little even for the likes of Fortuin and Burger to do.

FAQs

1. Who was the Player of the Match in the 3rd ODI?

Abrar Ahmed won it for his brilliant 4/27 spell.

2. What was South Africa’s biggest issue in the defeat?

A total middle-order collapse after de Kock’s dismissal crippled their innings.

3. How did Pakistan chase 144 so easily?

Saim Ayub’s composed 77 off 70 balls ensured a smooth chase within 25 overs.

Disclaimer: This Exclusive News is based on the author’s understanding, analysis, and instinct. As you review this information, consider the points mentioned and form your own conclusions.

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