Lhuan-dre Pretorius shines in ODI debut against Pakistan

South Africa’s young opener Lhuan-dre Pretorius made a sensational start to his ODI career, scoring a brilliant half-century on debut against Pakistan in Faisalabad on Tuesday.

The 19-year-old left-hander reached his maiden ODI fifty off just 47 balls, marking his arrival on the international stage in spectacular fashion. Pretorius displayed remarkable confidence and aggressive intent from the outset, hitting two exquisite boundaries off fast bowler Naseem Shah’s first over to set the tone for South Africa’s innings.

Continuing his fluent stroke play against spin, Pretorius struck Agha Salman for two fours and a six, before taking a single off Abrar Ahmed to bring up his well-deserved half-century. His composed yet attacking approach reflected a maturity beyond his years.

With this outstanding performance, Pretorius became South Africa’s youngest player to score a fifty in ODIs, achieving the feat at 19 years and 222 days. He broke the long-standing record held by Jacques Kallis, who scored his first ODI fifty at 20 years and 93 days against England in Durban back in 1996.

South Africa’s youngest players to score an ODI fifty:

19 years, 222 days – Lhuan-dre Pretorius vs Pakistan, Faisalabad, 2025

20 years, 93 days – Jacques Kallis vs England, Durban, 1996

20 years, 326 days – Quinton de Kock vs Pakistan, Abu Dhabi, 2013

This is not the first time Pretorius has turned heads on the international stage. Earlier this year, on his Test debut against Zimbabwe, he announced himself with a magnificent knock of 153 runs, earning praise from fans and former cricketers alike.

Pretorius has also featured in the Indian Premier League (IPL), where he represented the Rajasthan Royals as a replacement for Nitish Rana. His confident batting performances impressed both coaches and spectators, and reports suggest the franchise is considering retaining him for IPL 2026.

Cricket analysts believe that Pretorius could become one of South Africa’s most promising opening batsmen, with the potential to evolve into a mainstay of the national team’s batting lineup in the years ahead.

Click here to read article