Salman Ali Agha captured attention and admiration after he chose to share his Player of the Match award with young Saim Ayub following Pakistan's narrow 3-wicket victory in the first ODI of the three-match series against South Africa.
The young opener, Ayub, showcased his potential by scoring his second ODI century in just his seventh match for Pakistan. After a cautious start of around 50 balls, he shifted gears, turning the tide in favor of Pakistan with an impressive 109 runs.
Meanwhile, Salman proved to be a persistent challenge for the South African side. As a part-time spinner, he dismantled their batting lineup with his off-spin bowling and contributed significantly with an unbeaten 82 runs, leading Pakistan to their win.
Although Salman received the Player of the Match award for his all-around performance, he insisted on sharing the honor with Ayub, emphasizing that the victory would not have been possible without the young batsman.
"We found ourselves in a challenging situation, but we focused on taking it one over at a time. His innings was crucial in setting up the game. He faced the new ball and managed to score a hundred despite losing partners. It was remarkable," Salman remarked during the post-match presentation.
The partnership between Salman and Ayub was pivotal when Pakistan was struggling at 60/4 in 19.1 overs. Their collaboration provided a much-needed lifeline for the team.
They built a solid 141-run partnership, with Salman offering valuable guidance to the less experienced Ayub throughout their innings.
"It was certainly tough. Being four down, maintaining belief was essential on this pitch. He (Agha) has more experience and was instrumental in guiding me," Ayub noted.
With Pakistan leading the series 1-0, the team, under the leadership of Mohammad Rizwan, will aim to clinch the series in the upcoming second match on Thursday in Cape Town.
