Pakistan vs South Africa stats: Wayne Parnell's career-best overshadows Saeed Ajmal's feat

A thriller in Sharjah as Pakistan fell short to South Africa by one wicket in the first ODI on Wednesday. Pakistan, chasing a modest 184 to win, were cruising along nicely at 165-4 but lost their last six wickets for just 17 runs off 39 balls to be bowled out for 182 in 46.3 overs.

Following are the statistical highlights from the match:

# South Africa's thrilling triumph by one run is their fourth by such a margin in ODIs - one each vs New Zealand, England, West Indies and Pakistan.

# South Africa's success percentage of 68.25 vs Pakistan in ODIs is quite impressive - 43 wins and 20 losses out of 64 contested (NR 1).

# South Africa have won seven and lost four out of eleven played vs Pakistan in UAE.  Of the six ODIs played vs Pakistan at Sharjah, South Africa have won four and lost two.

# Pakistan have lost three ODIs by one run each - vs New Zealand at Sialkot on October 16, 1976; vs West Indies at Bridgetown on May 2, 2011 and vs South Africa at Sharjah on October 30, 2013.

# Saeed Ajmal (4/30) has produced his best bowling performance vs South Africa in ODIs - his first four-wicket haul vs South Africa.

# Ajmal has completed 150 wickets (ave.22.51) in 93 ODIs.

# Ajmal's feat of reaching 150 wickets in 93 matches is the sixth quickest in ODIs - the quickest being Saqlain Mushtaq (78) matches, followed by Brett Lee (82) and Allan Donald (89).

# Ajmal has captured 41 wickets at 19.46 runs apiece in 21 matches in 2013 - the second highest tally by a bowler this year, next only to Ravindra Jadeja's 43 at 22.76 runs apiece in 27 matches.

# Of his seven instances of four wickets or more in an innings, five have been recorded by Ajmal in a losing cause in ODIs.

# Wayne Parnell's 56 off 70 balls is his career-best score in ODIs - his maiden fifty.  His previous highest was 49 off 47 balls as number nine batsman vs India at Jaipur on February 21, 2010.

# Parnell is the second South African player to post a fifty as number eight batsman vs Pakistan in ODIs - the first being Shaun Pollock - 57 not out off 51 balls at Durban on December 8, 2002.

# Parnell, for the first time, has registered a fifty and claimed three wickets (3/41) in the same match in an ODI.  He is the third South African all-rounder after Jacques Kallis (twice) and Shaun Pollock to accomplish the all-round feat vs Pakistan in an ODIs.

# Parnell's third Man of the Match award in ODIs is his first in four years.  He has received one MOM award each vs Pakistan, Australia and New Zealand.

# Ahmed Shehzad (58 off 92 balls) has recorded his third fifty in ODIs - his first vs South Africa.

# Misbah-ul-Haq is the 13th Pakistani batsman to amass 4000 runs in ODIs - 4003 at an average of 44.97 in 129 matches.

# Misbah became the first batsman to manage 4000 runs without recording a century in ODIs.

# Imran Tahir enjoys an excellent bowling record in ODIs - his tally being 17 wickets in just six matches at an average of 11.47.  His strike rate of 17.4 is quite impressive.

(with inputs from cricket statistician Rajesh Kumar)