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The first ODI painted a broad enough picture of both sides' strengths and weaknesses in a way whole series often fail to do. Across exactly 100 overs of two mid-table sides jostling for position in the World Cup Super League, South Africa's inconsistency at the top was laid bare, as were Pakistan's struggles with their death bowling and a relatively lightweight middle order.

Equally, the home side's resilience lower down, as well as the purple patches Anrich Nortje and Rassie van der Dussen currently enjoy, took them within inches of an unlikely win, while the brilliance of Babar Azam and the assuredness of Imam-ul-Haq came in handy in a below-par chase of 274. Nothing that happened at SuperSport Park will convince anyone these teams will compete for the biggest prizes just yet, but the first ODI showed they're still capable of offering up absorbing contests.