Pakistan Women fought back with an eight-wicket victory over the Proteas Women to avoid a series whitewash in the third and final ODI at the National Stadium in Karachi on Thursday night.
Throughout the historic tour to Pakistan, the toss had a major influence on the results of the encounters.
In subcontinent conditions it is often a no-brainer to bat first after winning the toss, then take full advantage of the batter friendly conditions, only to expose the opposition batters to the deteriorated, hard to bat on wicket in the second innings.
South Africa followed the same strategy in the first ODI and won comfortably but things did not turn out well for Pakistan in the second match after winning the toss and batting first.
This time around, it was South Africa's turn to get bowled out relatively cheaply after winning the toss and batting first as they found themselves reeling on 145/8 inside 40 overs.
As advantageous as it is to bat first in the subcontinent, batters often find themselves in all sorts of troubles when the opening bowlers exploit any swing on offer and make use of any form of assistance from the wicket.
Pakistan's Sadia Iqbal (2/26) was the first to cause damage to the visitors as she claimed the prized wicket of skipper Laura Wolvaardt without scoring before she also accounted for Marizanne Kapp (21 off 41).
Wolvaardt's opening partner in Tazmin Brits (32 off 31), and lower order batter in Nadine de Klerk were the only batters to get scores above 30.
Lara Goodall (13 off 29), Sune Luus (10 off 24), Delmi Tucker (25 off 28) and Sinalo Jafta (6 off 7) just could not get going with bat in hand on Thursday.
But De Klerk's 60 off 95, a personal career best for the all-rounder, carried the visitors to 185 all out.
In reply, the hosts made light work of a very under par target set by South Africa.
In a measured approach, opening batters Sadaf Shamas (13 off 34) and Sidra Ameen (68 off 82) frustrated the South African bowling unit inside the first nine overs, scoring at just over three runs an over but doing a good job holding the bowlers off.
A breakthrough came in the tenth over when Ayabonga Khaka accounted for Shamas leaving the hosts in a spot of bother with the score reading 39/1.
A 110 run stand for the second wicket between Ameen and Bismah Maroof (60 off 98) took the game away from the visitors, and even when De Klerk (1/33) claimed the wicket of Ameen, the hosts needed only 37 to win.
Aliya Riaz's 19 off 14 took Pakistan to 186/2, claiming a massive eight-wicket victory and closing the series off of a positive note despite losing the series 2-1 in the end.
IOL Sport