Shaheen Shah Afridi delivered a masterclass in seam bowling as Pakistan secured their One-Day International series win against South Africa with an impressive 81-run victory at Newlands on Thursday. This victory gives Pakistan an unbeatable 2-0 lead, with one game left to play in Johannesburg on Sunday.
South Africa made a surprising decision to field first, despite the difficulty of chasing under lights on this ground. Pakistan capitalized on the opportunity, setting a challenging target of 329 before being bowled out.
Heinrich Klaasen was the standout performer for South Africa, scoring a superb 97 from just 74 balls. However, his dismissal as the last wicket marked the end of their chase at 248 in 43.1 overs, falling short in all departments of the game.
Captain Mohammad Rizwan anchored Pakistan’s innings with a solid 80 off 82 balls, while Kamran Ghulam played a fiery knock of 63 off just 32 balls, giving the innings a late surge. Babar Azam also chipped in with a valuable 73 from 95 balls. Pakistan took full advantage of South Africa’s sloppy fielding, as the hosts missed several catches and struggled with accuracy in their bowling.
On the other side, South African debutant Kwena Maphaka impressed with figures of 4-72 in his 10 overs, standing out in an otherwise lackluster bowling performance.
South Africa’s batting lineup showed some promise, but Pakistan’s bowlers kept picking wickets at regular intervals. Shaheen Afridi was the star of the bowling attack, delivering a stunning performance with figures of 4-47. He dismantled South Africa’s middle order, including the crucial wicket of David Miller, who scored 29. Afridi’s brilliance ensured Pakistan remained in control throughout the match.
With one game to go, Pakistan has already sealed the series, marking a memorable performance in this ODI showdown.
