Fakhar’s 193 in vain as SA beat Pakistan in second ODI

By Agencies

April 05, 2021

JOHANNESBURG: South Africa levelled the series with a 17-run win in the second One-day International against Pakistan at the Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg on Sunday despite a spectacular innings by Pakistan opening batsman Fakhar Zaman.

Fakhar hit 193 off 155 balls with 10 sixes and 18 fours but he lacked support as Pakistan made 324 for nine in reply to South Africa´s 341 for six.

Quinton de Kock, captain Temba Bavuma, Rassie van der Dussen and David Miller hit half-centuries for South Africa, who were sent in.

Pakistan´s chances seemed to be minimal when fast bowler Anrich Nortje dismissed captain Babar Azam for 31 in his first over and followed up with two more quick wickets to reduce the tourists to 85 for four.

However, Fakhar launched an astonishing assault to keep their hopes alive until he was run out in the last over.

Earlier, Babar called correctly again and elected to field on a belter. But this time, there was no sedate start from Aiden Markram, who set the tone with a classy cameo in the first powerplay, his 34-ball 39 ensuring Shaheen Afridi and Mohammad Hasnain were unable to build much pressure early on. Once he fell, driving on the up off Faheem Ashraf, de Kock took more of a leadership role.

Haris Rauf was smashed for a six over fine leg and a boundary in the same over, while neither he nor Bavuma allowed Shadab, whose nosediving form shows little sign of recovering, to settle. Even Afridi, brought back a little earlier than Pakistan might have planned owing to the lack of wickets that fell, suffered punishment in his second spell, with de Kock taking 18 runs off his two overs.

Van der Dussen brought up his half-century with a sweep to midwicket, following it up with another six and four off the hapless Hasnain. But with the South African going after just about every ball by this stage, he would hole out in the same over to long on, his 37-ball 60 having pushed what looked like a 300 total past 330. Bavuma was unselfish at the other end, continuing to go for high-risk shots even as a first hundred as captain beckoned, and found deep midwicket just eight short of the milestone.

By this time, Pakistan’s sloppiness was infectious, as Ashraf leaked 13 off one ball when a no-ball and the free hit were dispatched for six by David Miller whose 27-ball 50 further damaged the visitors. Rauf did manage to pick up a couple of late wickets that slowed South Africa in the final few overs, but Miller would compensate for it by plundering 19 off Afridi’s final over. In a game that ultimately only ended in a 17-run win, it turned out every one of those late blows would come in handy.

Score Board

Pakistan won toss

South Africa

Q. de Kock b Haris 80

A. Markram c Asif Ali b Faheem 39

T. Bavuma c Babar b Haris 92

H. van der Dussen c Faheem b

Hasnain 60

D. Miller not out 50

H. Klaasen c Haris b Shaheen Afridi 11

A. Phehlukwayo c Faheem b Haris 3

K. Rabada not out 1

Extras (lb1, nb1, w3) 5

Total (6 wkts, 50 overs) 341

Did not bat: A. Nortje, L. Ngidi, T. Shamsi

Fall: 1-55 (Markram), 2-169 (De Kock), 3-270 (Van der Dussen), 4-306 (Bavuma), 5-317 (Klaasen), 6-322 (Phehlukwayo)

Bowling: Shaheen Shah Afridi 10-1-75-1 (1w), Mohammad Hasnain 10-0-74-1 (1w), Faheem Ashraf 9-0-62-1 (1nb), Haris Rauf 10-0-54-3 (1w), Shadab Khan 9-0-64-0, Danish Aziz 2-0-11-0

Pakistan

Imam-ul-Haq c Markram b Ngidi 5

Fakhar Zaman run out 193

Babar Azam c Bavuma b Nortje 31

Mohammad Rizwan c Klaasen b Nortje 0

Danish Aziz c De Kock b Nortje 9

Shadab Khan lbw b Shamsi 13

Asif Ali c Markram b Phehlukwayo 19

Faheem Ashraf c De Kock b Phehlukwayo 11

Shaheen Shah Afridi c and b Rabada 5

Haris Rauf not out 1

Mohammad Hasnain not out 12