Fans left in splits over Pakistan and South Africa's identical kits

The cricket world was left in splits after the first one-day international match between South Africa and Pakistan, as fans realized that the two were effectively playing with the exact same kit. The first ODI at Centurion had a thrilling finish but the game was overshadowed by fans having a laugh on social media at the two sides’ expense. The teams wore identical dark green trousers and lighter green shirts.

The nail-biting encounter managed to go to the final delivery as Pakistan pulled off an outstanding victory against the Proteas. However, the kits were the primary issue on fans’ minds. Teams like Pakistan, South Africa and Bangladesh have always had kit differentiation issues whenever they play each other. Australia too was a victim when they sported their dark green jersey. The confusion led to fans calling for teams to wear their away strips if there was a clash.

Intense Match

The game itself was a cricket fan’s dream. It took the final delivery to decide the winner, keeping everyone on the edge of their seats. Babar Azam played a captain’s knock as he scored a magnificent 103 off 104 deliveries. He built a 177-run second-wicket partnership with Imam-ul-Haq who smashed 70.

The Pakistan captain was awarded the man-of-the-match title for his performance. 

The partnership laid a foundation for Pakistan to clinch the game, winning by three wickets on the last ball. Questions, however, will be asked of the subcontinent side’s middle order. The batting lineup collapsed after Azam’s departure. Pacer Anrich Nortje took four wickets in as many overs.

Pakistan crumbled from 186/1 to 203/5. Luckily, the target was a humble 274. At one point, it seemed like the subcontinent side had bottled the game, but a 53-run stand for the sixth wicket between Mohammad Rizwan and Shadab Khan ensured that the team somehow got over the line. 

“There was a little bit of pressure but we will learn from that,” Azam said after the game.