Shaheen Afridi Stars as Pakistan Clinch Series with 81-Run Win Over South Africa

Pakistan’s Shaheen Afridi delivered a match-winning performance, claiming four wickets as South Africa were bowled out for 248 in their chase of 329, handing Pakistan a comfortable 81-run victory in the second One-Day International at Newlands in Cape Town on Thursday. With the win, Pakistan secured an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series, leaving South Africa with little hope of making a comeback.

Heinrich Klaasen’s valiant knock of 97 went in vain as the hosts fell short in their run chase. Despite a steady start, South Africa’s top order struggled to keep pace with the required run rate, while Pakistan’s bowlers, led by Afridi and Naseem Shah, ensured that the hosts never truly threatened to chase down the target.

Early Breakthroughs Set the Tone for Pakistan

South Africa’s chase started with some promise, as opener Temba Bavuma struck a boundary off the first ball of Shaheen Afridi’s opening over. Tony de Zorzi, at the other end, followed suit by driving a delivery from Afridi over the boundary rope, bringing an early sense of optimism to the South African camp.

However, that optimism was short-lived as the opening partnership of Bavuma and de Zorzi was broken in the sixth over. Bavuma was caught by Haris Rauf in the deep, giving Afridi his first breakthrough. Despite hitting a few more boundaries, de Zorzi’s innings was cut short when he was clean bowled by Abrar Ahmad, who continued to trouble South Africa's middle order with his spin.

Pakistan’s Spinners Dominate Middle Overs

As the innings progressed, the Pakistani spinners, especially Abrar Ahmad and Agha Salman, exerted pressure on the South African batsmen. With the run rate climbing, South Africa’s batting woes deepened. Rassie van der Dussen tried to break the shackles by looking for big hits but failed to clear the deep mid-wicket boundary, falling to Agha Salman.

Klaasen, the lone bright spot for South Africa, managed to keep the scoreboard ticking with a couple of boundaries off Agha. However, South Africa’s middle order continued to falter. Naseem Shah dropped a catch off Klaasen, but the momentum still favored Pakistan as they tightened their grip. A few overs later, Agha trapped Aiden Markram leg before wicket, further derailing South Africa’s chase.

Klaasen Fights a Losing Battle

Despite the collapse at the other end, Klaasen continued to fight back, partnering briefly with David Miller. The pair managed to rotate the strike effectively, with Klaasen finding some rhythm. Just when it seemed like the duo could build a partnership, Shaheen Afridi returned to the attack and had Miller caught behind for 29.

With South Africa’s tail exposed, Klaasen took the initiative, hitting two sixes off Shaheen to try and keep his team’s hopes alive. However, the support from the other end was minimal. Marco Jansen, Andile Phehlukwayo, and Kagiso Rabada all fell cheaply to the pace duo of Shaheen and Naseem, leaving Klaasen with little chance.

Klaasen’s heroic 97 ended in vain as South Africa were bowled out for 248, falling short by 81 runs.

Pakistan’s Strong Total Set Up by Rizwan and Babar

Earlier in the day, Pakistan’s innings was anchored by solid partnerships, with Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam leading the charge. After being put in to bat, Pakistan lost Abdullah Shafique for a duck in the opening over, but the middle order responded well to rebuild the innings.

Saim Ayub and Babar added 48 runs for the second wicket, but Ayub fell just before the end of the Powerplay. Babar and Rizwan then steadied the ship, taking Pakistan past the 100-run mark with some smart running and occasional aggressive shots. Rizwan, in particular, was in aggressive mode, smashing Jansen and Bjorn Fortuin for sixes. The partnership saw Rizwan reach his half-century, and Babar followed soon after, accumulating 80 runs before being dismissed in the 38th over.

Babar’s dismissal came when he was caught pulling Andile Phehlukwayo to mid-wicket, and Rizwan’s exit wasn’t far behind as he was dismissed for 80 after a brilliant return catch by Kwena Maphaka.

Kamran Ghulam’s Late Assault Powers Pakistan

Despite the loss of two set batters in quick succession, Pakistan’s lower order ensured they finished strong. Kamran Ghulam played an explosive knock, scoring 63 runs off just 32 balls, including several boundaries and sixes. Ghulam took down South Africa’s bowlers with disdain, smashing Fortuin, Jansen, and Shamsi for big runs. His power-hitting was backed up by useful contributions from Agha Salman (33 from 30 balls), Irfan Khan (15 from 16 balls), and Shaheen Afridi (16 from 9 balls), helping Pakistan post a competitive total of 329 in 49.5 overs.

South Africa’s Fielding Woes and Final Collapse

While South Africa’s bowlers managed to pick up some wickets in the latter stages of the innings, including four in six balls to dismiss Pakistan for 329, they were also guilty of costly mistakes in the field. Three dropped catches, including one off Rizwan early in his innings, and two crucial run outs gave Pakistan extra chances to push the score higher.

Kwena Maphaka was the standout bowler for South Africa, picking up 4 wickets for 72 runs, while Marco Jansen supported well with 3 wickets for 71 runs. However, the damage had already been done by Pakistan’s top and middle-order batsmen, as well as Ghulam’s blistering finish in the death overs.

Pakistan Take Unassailable 2-0 Lead

In the end, Pakistan’s clinical all-round performance, with both bat and ball, handed them a comprehensive 81-run victory. South Africa’s response was ultimately dominated by the brilliance of Heinrich Klaasen, but his valiant effort was not enough to save his team. Shaheen Afridi’s four wickets, combined with Naseem Shah’s three, proved too much for the South African batting lineup, as the hosts were bundled out for 248 in just 43.1 overs.

With the win, Pakistan sealed an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series, leaving the final ODI to play for pride. South Africa will need to regroup and reflect on their mistakes, particularly their fielding lapses and middle-order collapses, while Pakistan will look to carry the momentum into the series finale.

Brief Scores:

• Pakistan: 329 in 49.5 overs (Mohammad Rizwan 80, Babar Azam 73, Kamran Ghulam 63; Kwena Maphaka 4-72, Marco Jansen 3-71)
• South Africa: 248 in 43.1 overs (Heinrich Klaasen 97, Tony de Zorzi 34; Shaheen Afridi 4-47, Naseem Shah 3-37)
• Result: Pakistan won by 81 runs