Opener Hashim Amla scored a brilliant ton in the first ODI against Pakistan but it went vain as the visitors won the match by five-wickets at St George’s Park in Port Elizabeth on Saturday. Sarfraz Ahmed’s troops have now taken a 1-0 lead in the five-match series. Amla struck a magnificent 108* off 120 deliveries which included seven fours and one huge maximum. This was Amla’s 27th ODI ton and he has become the fastest to reach that milestone. Amla broke the record of India skipper Virat Kohli who slammed his 27th ODI ton in his 169th innings. Amla took two innings less to reach this milestone. Also Read - 1st ODI: Imam, Hafeez guide Pakistan to victory over South Africa Fastest to 27 ODI tons (in terms of innings) - 167: Hashim Amla (SA) 169: Virat Kohli (IND) 254: Sachin Tendulkar (IND) 308: Ricky Ponting (AUS) 404: Sanath Jayasuriya (SL) Amla also became only the fifth cricketer in the history of the format to score 27 centuries. Only Tendulkar (49), Kohli (39), Ponting (30) and Jayasuriya (28) are ahead of Amla in this illustrious list. Despite Amla’s record-breaking innings, Pakistan won the clash courtesy of heroics from Imam-ul-Haq and Mohammad Hafeez. The left-handed Imam made a cultured 86 off 101 balls and Hafeez hit an unbeaten 71 off 63 deliveries as Pakistan chased down a target of 267 with five balls to spare. Also Read: South Africa vs Pakistan, 1st ODI in Port Elizabeth, Highlights: As It Happened Pakistan’s bowlers also deserved credit for their team’s win, which came after the tourists were well-beaten in all three Test matches. Saptain Sarfraz Ahmed used his bowlers in short spells and their mixture of seam and spin proved better suited to a slow pitch than South Africa’s attack.<doc-sep>Hashim Amla on Saturday broke Virat Kohli's record | Photo - AP/Twitter | Veteran South African batsman Hashim Amla on Saturday broke Indian captain Virat Kohli's record to become the fastest to reach the milestone of 27 ODI centuries. Amla slammed 108 runs off 120 deliveries in the first ODI against Pakistan at St George's Park in Porth Elizabeth. However, his efforts went in vain as Pakistan won the game by five wickets. Amla steadily paced his innings and played cautiously throughout his 108-run knock to overhaul Kohli's record. It took Amla 167 innings to score 27th ODI hundred while Kohli had achieved the milestone in his 169th innings in the first ODI against England on 15 January 2017 in Pune. Amla took a couple of innings fewer than Kohli to own the record. One of the most consistent batsmen of the modern era, Amla has been a mainstay in South Africa's batting line-up for years now. He was not at his finest against Sarfraz Ahmed & Co in the first ODI but managed to score another century to help his side post a challenging total. Amla's 108-run knock was laced with seven boundaries and a six. Batting first South Africa managed to post 266/2 on the board in fifty overs with the help of Amla's 108 and Rassie van der Dussen's 93 off 101 deliveries. Hasan Ali and Shadab Khan picked up a wicket apiece for Pakistan. In reply, Pakistan chased down the target with five balls to spare. Pakistan got off to a strong start as openers Imam-ul-Haq (86) and Fakhar Zaman (25) posted a 45-run stand for the opening wicket. Babar Azam (49) then combined with Mohammad Hafeez (71) to sail Pakistan through. Duanne Olivier was the pick of the bowlers for the hosts with two wickets under his belt. With the 5-wicket win, Pakistan took a 1-0 lead in the five-match ODI series.<doc-sep>
South Africa opener Hashim Amla broke the record held by India captain Virat Kohli after he became the fastest to reach 27 ODI hundreds during the first One Day International against Pakistan at the St George's Park, Port Elizabeth, on Saturday. The 35-year-old batsman scored 27 ODI centuries in 167 innings, while the Indian skipper had taken 169 innings to reach the mark. Even though Hashim Amla's unbeaten 108-run knock went in vain and South Africa lost the opening match by five wickets, it has exhibited how prepared the team is for the forthcoming ICC World Cup. Before Kohli, India's iconic batsman Sachin Tendulkar held this record with 254 innings. Kohli had surpassed the batting legend with a century in the first ODI against England in January 2017 in Pune. Amla (108 not out) and new cap Hendrick 'Rassie' van der Dussen (93) put on 155 for second wicket as South Africa posted 266 for two after opting to bat. However, Imam-ul-Haq scored 86 off 101 balls and Mohammad Hafeez hit an unbeaten 71 off 63 deliveries as Pakistan chased down a target of 267 with five balls to spare. With a five-wicket win in Port Elizabeth, Pakistan claimed a 1-0 lead in the five-match ODI series. Earlier, South Africa registered a 3-0 clean sweep against Pakistan in the three-match Test series. Promoted Virat Kohli, who has 39 ODI centuries to his name, recently led India to their first-ever bilateral ODI series win in Australia. India clinched the three-match ODI series 2-1, following a maiden Test series triumph in 71 years and 11 attempts and a 1-1 draw in three-match T20 International series.