SA vs PAK 2024: Allround Pakistan outshine South Africa to gain unassailable lead

Pakistan secured a brilliant 81-run victory over South Africa in the second ODI at Newlands, Cape Town, taking an unassailable 2-0 lead. The win was built on some impressive performances across all departments, with Kamran Ghulam, Babar Azam, and Mohammad Rizwan contributing heavily with the bat, and Shaheen Shah Afridi along with Naseem Shah bowling a brilliant spell.

Electing to field, the hosts got an early breakthrough as Marco Jansen dismissed Abdullah Shafique for a second consecutive duck. Saim Ayub’s dismissal in the powerplay put Pakistan on further backfoot. But Babar Azam (73 off 95) and Mohammad Rizwan (80 off 82) took the visitors out of the tricky positions and helped them to post a good total. Their 115-run partnership was the platform for the Men in Green's innings.

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Babar found his form with his first fifty in 22 innings and looked confident for a big score before he fell to Andile Phehlukwayo. Rizwan followed soon after, caught and bowled by debutant Kwena Maphaka. Despite this, Kamran Ghulam came up with a 63 off 32 balls, including four boundaries and five sixes, ensuring Pakistan posted 329. South Africa’s fielding failures and poor bowling lines were visible, as Pakistan hammered 128 runs in the final 12 overs.

Chasing 330, Temba Bavuma and Tony de Zorzi got starts, but the hosts struggled to sustain partnerships. Heinrich Klaasen looked like a lone warrior, smashing 97 off 74 balls. His partnership with David Miller (29 off 39) briefly kept the side in the game, but wickets at regular intervals stopped their chase.

Afridi used the conditions well with his reverse swing during the death overs. His pace and late movement dismantled the lower order, claiming figures of 4 for 47. Shah (3 for 37) and Abrar Ahmed (2 for 48) provided crucial support as South Africa were dismantled to 248 in 43.1 overs.