CAPE TOWN: Pakistan's players have made some pretty significant entries in their tour diaries in South Africa, a tour that wasn't even scheduled until a few weeks ago.

Sunday: A first one-day international win at Cape Town's historic Newlands ground. Wednesday: A first ODI series win anywhere over South Africa, also spoiling the home team's 500th ODI.

And now Saturday: A chance to become the first country to whitewash South Africa in a series at home.

The Pakistan squad barely had time to pack their bags, or any diaries, before trooping out to South Africa for a short-notice return series that was hastily arranged off the back of five straight limited-overs losses to the South Africans in United Arab Emirates.

But while filling in for India, Pakistan has turned it around emphatically in South Africa and captain Misbah-ul-Haq unsurprisingly called the most recent, series-clinching win over the Proteas in Port Elizabeth ''a really, really big achievement for us.''

''It really means a lot to us to beat South Africa in a bilateral series for the first time, especially doing it in South Africa,'' Misbah said.

Having lost convincingly in both the ODI and Twenty20 series in the UAE earlier this month, Pakistan was invited for an immediate return series so South Africa could warm-up for what it felt were its main challenges this season; an ODI and Test series in December against the Indians, the closest challengers to South Africa's No. 1 test ranking.

India had shortened its trip and turned down some of the planned November games, leaving South Africa with a gap in its summer calendar. So, Pakistan's accidental tourists filled that gap and more, and are now on the brink of a momentous achievement.

Since South Africa returned to international cricket in 1991, no team has left the country with a clean sweep in an ODI series. Not even Ricky Ponting's world champion Australia of a few years ago or the mighty Indians.

South Africa's pride is on the line at SuperSport Park in Centurion, near Pretoria, this weekend and while the home country demands it is defended, Pakistan is probably in better shape having won three in a row over the Proteas including the second Twenty20 game.

''It is a young side and now they believe they can win. That was what was lacking,'' Misbah said of his history-chasing team.