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Pakistan beat South Africa by two wickets to mark Faisalabad’s international return | The Express Tribune
The hosts achieved the 264-run target with two balls to spare to take a 1-0 lead in the series
Pakistan’s captain Shaheen Shah Afridi (C) celebrates with teammates at the end of the first one-day international (ODI) cricket match against South Africa at the Iqbal Stadium in Faisalabad on November 4. PHOTO: AFP
Pakistan marked the return of international cricket to Faisalabad’s Iqbal Stadium after 17 years with a thrilling two-wicket win over South Africa in the first ODI of the three-match series on Tuesday.
The home side achieved the target of 264 with two balls to spare to take a 1-0 lead in the series.
The second ODI will take place at the same venue on Thursday, 6 November. Tonight’s result gave Shaheen Shah Afridi a winning start to his tenure as Pakistan’s ODI captain.
Chasing 264, Pakistan’s innings was anchored by Salman Ali Agha, who top-scored with a fluent 62 off 71 balls, featuring five fours and a six. He received valuable support from Mohammad Rizwan, who made a composed 55 off 74 balls. The pair of Rizwan and Salman added 91 runs for the fourth wicket, while openers Fakhar Zaman (45, 57b, 4x4s, 2x6s) and Saim Ayub (39, 42b, 4x4s, 1×6) provided a solid 87-run opening stand to set up the chase.
Salman Ali Agha was declared the Player of the match.
Despite a late collapse triggered by South Africa’s bowlers, with Pakistan slipping from 241 for five to 263 for eight, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Naseem Shah held their nerve to see the hosts home in the final over with two balls to spare.
For South Africa, Corbin Bosch (2 for 32), Lungi Ngidi (2-46), Donovan Ferreira (2-53) shared the wickets as Pakistan’s middle order was tested in the closing stages.
Earlier, Pakistan dismissed South Africa for 263 in 49.1 overs despite half-centuries from openers Quinton de Kock and Lhuan-dre Pretorius.
De Kock capped his return to ODIs after a two-year gap with a knock of 63 and debutant Pretorius scored 57 as Faisalabad’s Iqbal Stadium staged its first international match in 17 years.
Sent in to bat, De Kock and Pretorius put on a 98-run stand but Pakistan slowed their charge as spinner Saim Ayub, who finished with 2-39, dismissed Pretorius and Tony de Zorzi.
Pace bowler Naseem Shah, who took 3-40, further jolted the visitors with the wickets of De Kock and George Linde as South Africa lost their last six wickets for 61 runs.
Skipper Matthew Breetzke tried to revive the innings as he struck 42 off 54 balls but fell to spinner Abrar Ahmed to end hopes of a bigger total.
Another debutant Sinethemba Qeshile scored 22 and added 44 for the fourth wicket with his skipper while Corbin Bosch hit a quickfire 41 down the order.
Bosch was eventually bowled by Shaheen Shah Afridi, leading Pakistan for the first time in an ODI.
Abrar finished with 3-53 while Shaheen took 1-55.
Pakistan’s spinners and seamers combined effectively, with Naseem Shah (3-40), Abrar Ahmed (3-53) and Saim Ayub (2-39) leading the attack. Shaheen Shah Afridi and Mohammad Nawaz chipped in with a wicket apiece to restrict South Africa to under 300.
The result gave Pakistan a winning start to the series and delighted the Faisalabad crowd witnessing international cricket for the first time since 2008.
Scores in brief
Pakistan beat South Africa by two wickets at Iqbal Stadium
South Africa 263 all out, 49.1 overs (Quinton de Kock 63, Lhuan-dre Pretorius 57, Matthew Breetzke 42, Corbin Bosch 41; Naseem Shah 3-40, Abrar Ahmed 3-53, Saim Ayub 2-39)
Pakistan 264-8, 49.4 overs (Salman Ali Agha 62, Mohammad Rizwan 55, Fakhar Zaman 45, Saim Ayub 39, Hussain Talat 22; Corbin Bosch 2-32, Lungi Ngidi 2-46, Donovan Ferreira 2-53)
The second Sunday of the 2026 Winter Olympics is a busy one for fans of Team USA.
Mikaela Shiffrin skis in the giant slalom — the race she won at the 2018 Olympics, and her second shot at a medal in Milan Cortina. It’s also the race where she suffered a severe injury with a puncture wound in 2024. Shiffrin has had to deal with PTSD from the crash, and competing again in Olympic giant slalom is part of her comeback. Speedskater Erin Jackson will attempt to defend her Olympic gold in the 500 meters. Pairs figure skating begins, with Ellie Kam and Danny O’Shea the top American pair. They had clutch performances to help the U.S. win gold in the team event and have an outside chance of a medal. And U.S. men’s hockey will be back in action against Germany.
Key events (all times ET)
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4:00 a.m. — Women’s giant slalom
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11:03 a.m. — Women’s 500m speedskating
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1:45 p.m. — Pairs figure skating
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3:10 p.m. — Men’s hockey (USA vs. Germany)
MORE: Medal tracker | Full schedule of events | Olympics 101
Here’s a live look at the top moments from Sunday’s events.
With a global sporting spectacle going on nearby, locals in Milan flooded San Siro to witness a riveting Derby d’Italia between Inter Milan and Juventus.
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Sports
Olympic hockey fans raise Greenland’s flag during USA’s dominant win over Denmark, sparking viral reaction
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During Team USA’s comeback men’s hockey win over Denmark at the Winter Olympics, two fans raised the flag of Greenland in the stands to protest President Donald Trump’s intent to acquire Greenland for the U.S.
The flag was raised enthusiastically after Denmark took an early lead. However, the U.S. came back to win the game 6-3.
Vita Kalniņa and her husband Alexander Kalniņš, fans of the Latvian hockey team who live in Germany, held up a large Greenland flag during warmups and again when the Danish team scored the opening goal of the preliminary round game against the U.S., which ultimately beat Denmark 6-3.
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The United States’ Brady Tkachuk, right, challenges Denmark’s Oliver Bjorkstrand during a preliminary round match of men’s ice hockey at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)
“We are Europeans, and I think as Europeans we must hold together,” Kalniņš told The Associated Press.
“The Greenlandic people decide what will happen with Greenland, but, as it is now, Greenland is a part of the Danish kingdom and, as Greenland is a part of Denmark, as in this case, we support both countries against the U.S.”
A Danish fan at the game, Dennis Petersen, said, “It doesn’t matter whatever sport it is — it could be tennis, it could be bobsledding, it can be ice hockey, it could be football — it has nothing to do with politics. … They are athletes, not politicians.”
An American fan at the game, Rem de Rohan, said, “I think this is the time for people to kind of put that down and compete country versus country and enjoy,” he said. “We love rooting on every country that’s been here.”
Fans on social media had their own reactions to the flag display and the result of the game.
“Now that the USA is up 4-2 could we place a wager that if the USA wins the game, Denmark gives up Greenland?” one fan wrote in response to the flag.
One fan wrote, “Team USA won, do we get Greenland now?”
The United States’ Jack Eichel, second right, celebrates after scoring his team’s third goal during a preliminary round match of men’s ice hockey against Denmark at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)
Another fan similarly said, “How did that turn out? we won, we get greenland now.”
Some American conservative influencers used the U.S. victory as a springboard to make viral jokes about annexing Greenland.
The comeback victory by the U.S. appeared uncertain early in the game.
After trailing 2-1 through the first period, the Americans dominated on offense to take a 6-3 victory over Denmark Saturday in the Milan Cortina Olympic Games.
The Americans scored three unanswered goals to open the second period, with 4 Nations hero Brady Tkachuk (Ottawa Senators), Jack Eichel (Vegas Golden Knights) and Noah Hanifin (Vegas Golden Knights) finding the back of the net.
Both sets of brothers on the team — Brady and Matthew Tkachuk and Jack and Quinn Hughes — each had a point in the contest. Fourteen players had points for the Americans with a different goal scorer each time the lamp was lit.
The Americans had 47 shots on goal compared to Denmark’s 21.
The U.S. ends preliminary play Sunday with a game against Germany at 3:10 p.m. ET. The Americans will once again be heavy favorites, and a victory will put them into the knockout stage.
The Americans can also go right to the knockout stage with an overtime loss. With a regulation loss, their fate would be determined by Canada’s game against France and point differentials with Slovakia, Finland and Sweden.
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But as a heavy favorite against a German team with just eight NHL players, the U.S. may not need to worry.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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