Saim Ayub joins Fakhar Zaman in elite century list against SA
Pakistan’s young opener, Saim Ayub, made history by joining an elite group of cricketers who have scored multiple ODI centuries in South Africa. His second century of the series, a brilliant 101 off 94 balls, placed him alongside greats like Virat Kohli, David Warner, Fakhar Zaman, Joe Root, and Kevin Pietersen, who have achieved similar feats. Notably, Kohli and Pietersen lead this list with three centuries each in South Africa.
Ayub’s heroics played a key role in Pakistan’s 36-run win in the third ODI, completing a historic 3-0 series whitewash against South Africa on their home soil—the first by any team. Pakistan posted a formidable 308/9, thanks to crucial contributions from Babar Azam (52), Mohammad Rizwan (53), and Agha Salman, who smashed a quickfire 48.
In the chase, South Africa’s Heinrich Klaasen threatened with a blistering 81 off 43 balls, supported by Corbin Bosch’s 40. However, Pakistan’s bowlers held their nerve. Sufiyan Muqeem led the charge with 4/52, while Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah took two wickets each. Mohammad Hasnain and Saim Ayub also chipped in with a wicket apiece, restricting South Africa to 271 in 42 overs.
Saim Ayub’s all-round brilliance in the series earned him both Player of the Match and Player of the Series honors. Across the three matches, the 22-year-old amassed 235 runs, including two centuries, and also took two wickets.
This victory added another feather to Pakistan skipper Mohammad Rizwan’s cap. Under his leadership, Pakistan has now won three consecutive ODI series, starting with a historic 2-1 win in Australia—their first since 2002—followed by a 2-1 triumph over Zimbabwe earlier this month.
