Shaheen Shah Afridi’s brilliant seam bowling guided Pakistan to an emphatic 81-run victory over South Africa at Newlands, securing an unassailable 2-0 lead in the One-Day International series with one match to spare.
South Africa, in a surprising move, chose to bowl first on a notoriously tough chasing ground, and Pakistan capitalized with a strong total of 329 all out. Mohammad Rizwan anchored the innings with a steady 80 from 82 balls, while Kamran Ghulam’s explosive 63 off just 32 deliveries injected momentum. Babar Azam contributed with a composed 73, as Pakistan’s batsmen took full advantage of some poor fielding and wayward bowling from the hosts.
The South African bowlers, led by debutant Kwena Maphaka, who claimed 4-72, struggled to make an impact, with Pakistan’s batsmen building partnerships and capitalizing on errors.
In response, South Africa’s chase faltered despite a strong knock from Heinrich Klaasen, who scored 97 from 74 balls. With wickets falling steadily, Klaasen found himself stranded as Afridi tore through the middle order, finishing with an impressive 4-47 and sending South Africa crashing to 248 all out in just 43.1 overs.
Pakistan’s clinical performance in all departments handed them a well-deserved series win, with Afridi’s exceptional spell proving to be the decisive factor in their dominant display.
NEWS DESK
PRESS UPDATE