Fakhar Zaman launched a stunning counter-attack and almost took Pakistan home single-handedly in their chase of 342. However, his 193 went in vain as Pakistan fell 17 runs short. Earlier in the day, four of South Africa’s top five got half-centuries which helped them get to 341.
A stunning counter-attacking knock from Fakhar Zaman, who smashed a record 193, but 342 was a little too far fetched for Pakistan as they fell 17 runs short. There was no other batsman who supported Zaman from the other end, and it was a one-man show which came to an end in the 50th over.
Pakistan won their second successive toss and inserted South Africa into bat first once again. South Africa racked up a mammoth 342 in their 50 overs, and it was largely built on their top five, four of whom went past the 50-run mark.
Aiden Markram stroked his way to 39 as he played some delightful strokes before slapping one straight to cover in the 10th over. He may not have converted the start, but alongside Quinton de Kock, Markram gave the Proteas a good start as the opening pair added 55 in 57 balls.
De Kock, the quiet partner in the opening partnership, opened up and unfurled his range of shots as he added 114 runs for the second wicket with skipper Temba Bavuma. Both batters went past the 50-run mark. The left-handed wicket-keeper batsman was knocked over by Haris Rauf for 80 in the 31st over.
Rassie van der Dussen, in good nick in ODIs for a while now, came in and smashed the Pakistan bowlers all around the Wanderers Stadium. He scored a stunning 37-ball 60 (six fours and four sixes) and took South Africa’s score from 169/2 in the 31st over to 270/3 in the 41st over when he was dismissed. All this while Bavuma dropped anchor and scored 92. David Miller walked in at No. 5 and made a 27-ball 50 to take the Proteas to a fantastic score of 341.
In reply, Pakistan lost an early wicket in Imam-ul-Haq as Lungi Ngidi had the left-hander edging to second slip. Skipper Babar Azam joined Fakhar Zaman, and the duo smashed a flurry of boundaries, scoring 11 of them in the first ten overs and helped Pakistan get to 68 in that first powerplay.
However, Anrich Nortje, who had picked up four wickets in the first ODI, picked up the big wicket of Azam as he had the Pakistan skipper pulling from an awkward length which eventually resulted in a top-edge. Nortje blew away the Pakistan middle-order, and with the help of Tabraiz Shamsi, he helped South Africa reduce the visitors from 70/1 to 124/5 in the span of 14 overs. Nortje dismissed Mohammad Rizwan and Danish Aziz before Shamsi had Shadab Khan pinned LBW.
At 124/5 in the 25th over, Pakistan were in deep trouble. Zaman was just a mere spectator at the other end and was fighting a lone battle. At this stage, he was just 43 off 65 balls (when the fifth wicket fell). Post that, he launched a proper counter-attack and found the boundary regularly. He kept losing partners at the other end as the likes of Asif Ali and Faheem Ashraf couldn’t last long.
In the 38th over, when Ashraf was dismissed, the score read 205/7, and the game seemed dead and buried. Zaman was on 97, and it seemed like the writing was on the wall. However, what followed was breathtaking innings from the opener. The left-handed opener went berserk in the latter stages. He brought up his ton off 107 deliveries, and there was no looking back since then.
Against every bowler that came into the attack, Zaman smashed boundaries at will. He kept going despite losing partners at the other end. He went from 103 to 151 in just 21 balls. While the required run rate was constantly climbing, Zaman kept Pakistan in the hunt, and there was hope for a miracle.
But a superb 47th and 49th over from Andile Phehlukwayo may have shut the door as he gave away just five and seven runs, respectively.
With 31 runs needed in the final over, Zaman was run out on the first ball as Quinton de Kock foxed him, trying to feign that the throw was at the non-striker’s end, but Markram’s direct hit caught the Pakistan opener short of his crease. Zaman missed a double ton by seven runs, and the one-man show ended in a heart-break as he couldn’t take Pakistan over the line.
The series has now been levelled 1-1, but five of the top South African stars will be unavailable as they have left the bio-bubble to join their respective IPL sides.
Brief Scores: South Africa 341/6 (Bavuma 92, de Kock 80, van der Dussen 60, Miller 50*, Haris 3/54) beat Pakistan 324/9 (Fakhar 193, Azam 31, Nortje 3/63) by 17 runs
