CAPE TOWN:Shaheen Shah Afridi delivered an outstanding spell of seam bowling as Pakistan secured their One-Day International series against South Africa with an emphatic 81-run win at Newlands on Thursday. This victory gave Pakistan an unassailable 2-0 lead with one match remaining in Johannesburg on Sunday.
In a surprising move, South Africa chose to bowl first on a ground known for its challenging chase conditions under lights. Pakistan posted a competitive total of 329 all out. Heinrich Klaasen stood out for South Africa, scoring a valiant 97 off 74 balls, but he was the last batter dismissed as the hosts were all out for 248 in 43.1 overs, outclassed across all departments. Pakistan’s captain, Mohammad Rizwan, anchored the innings with 80 from 82 balls, while Kamran Ghulam provided the momentum with a brilliant 63 from just 32 balls.
Babar Azam contributed 73 from 95 balls, and Pakistan benefitted from several dropped catches and erratic bowling from South Africa. Debutant fast bowler Kwena Maphaka, 18, was the standout bowler for South Africa, taking 4 wickets for 72 runs in his 10 overs despite the team’s overall disappointing performance.
Although several South African batters got off to starts, Pakistan took wickets at crucial moments, and Klaasen ultimately ran out of partners. Afridi’s brilliant 4-47 performance, including the key dismissal of the dangerous David Miller for 29, effectively sealed the match for Pakistan.
