Islamabad, Dec 20: Shaheen Shah Afridi delivered a remarkable display of seam bowling, helping Pakistan secure the One-Day International series against South Africa with one match remaining. Pakistan achieved a dominant 81-run victory at Newlands on Thursday, taking an unbeatable 2-0 lead before the final match in Johannesburg on Sunday.
South Africa made the surprising decision to field first on a ground where chasing under lights is notoriously difficult. Pakistan capitalized on the opportunity, setting an impressive target of 329 before being bowled out.
Heinrich Klaasen stood out for South Africa with a superb 97 off 74 balls, but his dismissal as the last wicket ended the innings at 248 in 43.1 overs. South Africa was thoroughly outclassed in all aspects of the game.
SA vs PAK 2nd ODI Highlights
Pakistan’s innings was anchored by captain Mohammad Rizwan, who scored 80 off 82 balls. Kamran Ghulam added vital momentum with a blistering 63 from just 32 deliveries, while Babar Azam contributed a steady 73 off 95 balls. The visitors benefited from South Africa’s poor fielding, with multiple dropped catches and inconsistent bowling.
Eighteen-year-old debutant fast bowler Kwena Maphaka was the standout for South Africa, taking 4-72 in his 10 overs despite an overall lackluster performance from the bowling unit.
Although several South African batters got decent starts, Pakistan took wickets at regular intervals. Klaasen fought valiantly but ran out of support. Shaheen Afridi’s exceptional figures of 4-47 dismantled the middle order, including the crucial dismissal of David Miller for 29, effectively sealing Pakistan’s win.Is
