Abrar’s four wicket haul helps Pakistan skittle South Africa for 143

Pakistan's Abrar Ahmed, left, celebrates with teammates after the dismissal of South Africa's Corbin Bosch during the third one day international cricket match between Pakistan and South Africa, in Faisalabad, Pakistan, on Nov. 8, 2025. (AP)
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Updated 08 November 2025
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Abrar’s four wicket haul helps Pakistan skittle South Africa for 143

  • Quinton de Kock led South Africa with 53 off 70 balls after a strong opening stand
  • Pakistan’s spinners triggered a collapse as the visitors lost nine wickets for 56 runs

FAISALABAD: Spinner Abrar Ahmed took a career-best four wicket haul as Pakistan dismissed South Africa for a paltry 143 in the third and final one-day international in Faisalabad on Saturday.

The 27-year-old grabbed 4-27 while fellow spinner Salman Agha (2-18) and pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi (2-18) shared wickets as only four batters crossed double figures after South Africa won the toss and batted.

The series is level at 1-1 with Pakistan winning the first game by two wickets and South Africa took the second by eight wickets, both in Faisalabad.

Quinton de Kock followed his hundred in the second match with a top score of 53 off 70 balls with a six and six boundaries while Lhuan-dre Pretorius knocked a 45-ball 39 with a six and four boundaries.

De Kock and Pretorius set the platform with a 72-run opening stand before the spinners hit back for Pakistan as the visitors lost their nine wickets for 56 runs.

Agha dismissed Pretorius and Tony de Zorzi for two in the space of 15 runs before left-arm spinner Mohammad Nawaz ended all hopes of a big total with the wicket of De Kock in the 25th over.

Abrar jolted the innings by dismissing Rubin Hermann (one), Donovan Ferreira (seven) and Corbin Bosch (nought) in successive overs.

He then ended skipper Matthew Breetzke’s resistence-filled 16 to improve on his previous best of 4-33 which came against Zimbabwe in Harare last year.

Shaheen had Nqabayomzi Peter (16) and Lungi Ngidi (nought) to wrap the innings in the 38th over.


Trump lauds Infantino for ‘record breaking’ World Cup

Updated 25 sec ago
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Trump lauds Infantino for ‘record breaking’ World Cup

  • Trump said: “You’ve done a fantastic job, a great leader in sports and a great gentleman”
  • Trump claimed sales were selling at a pace never seen before

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump turned the spotlight onto FIFA president Gianni Infantino ahead of Friday’s 2026 World Cup draw in Washington, praising the football boss’ organization of the world’s biggest sporting event.
Infantino has been criticized in recent months by some observers who accuse him of drawing uncomfortably close to Trump, whose administration has taken a high-profile role in US preparations for what will be the biggest and most logistically-challenging World Cup ever.
The soccer boss attended Trump’s inauguration in January and has previously said the US leader deserved global recognition for his role in brokering a ceasefire in the Middle East.
FIFA plans to unveil its own peace prize during the draw ceremony with Trump the expected recipient. Spotting Infantino in the audience during a ceremony in Washington marking the signing of a peace treaty between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, Trump congratulated him for what he described as record-breaking ticket demand for the first 48-team World Cup, co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.
“Gianni, thank you very much,” Trump said. “You’ve done a fantastic job, a great leader in sports and a great gentleman.”
Teams will learn their group-stage fate later on Friday at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, in a draw for a tournament that stretches across three countries and 16 cities, from Vancouver to Mexico City.
Trump claimed sales were selling at a pace never seen before. “I can report to you that we have sold more tickets than any country anywhere in the world at this stage of the game,” he said, adding that demand had already “broken all records”. Over one million tickets have been purchased so far by fans from 212 countries, FIFA said last month.
After the presidential shout-out, Infantino did not speak publicly.
The FIFA president is overseeing his third men’s World Cup, after Russia in 2018 and Qatar in 2022.