Shaheen Shah Afridi delivered a stunning spell of seam bowling, guiding Pakistan to an 81-run victory over South Africa in the second ODI at Newlands on Thursday.
With the win, Pakistan secured an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series, ensuring they have clinched the series with one game to spare ahead of the final fixture in Johannesburg on Sunday.
South Africa made the surprising decision to bowl first on a pitch known for its difficulty in chasing under lights. Pakistan took full advantage, posting a total of 329 all out.
Captain Mohammad Rizwan anchored the innings with a steady 80 from 82 balls, while Kamran Ghulam’s aggressive 63 from just 32 deliveries gave Pakistan the necessary momentum.
Babar Azam contributed 73 from 95 balls, and the team benefited from some poor fielding by South Africa, who dropped several catches and struggled to maintain bowling accuracy.
In response, South Africa’s Heinrich Klaasen fought back with a strong 97 from 74 balls, but his efforts were in vain as Pakistan’s bowlers restricted the hosts to 248 all out in just 43.1 overs.
With this victory, Babar Azam made history, surpassing MS Dhoni’s record for most fifty-plus scores against SENA countries, according to sportskeeda.
Babar’s fifty was his 39th, edging ahead of Dhoni’s 38 fifty-plus scores across all formats against South Africa, England, New Zealand, and Australia.
Prior to this match, both players were tied with 38 fifty-plus scores in SENA nations.
Babar Azam, who stepped down as Pakistan’s captain after their exit from the ODI World Cup, has played more than 300 matches for the national team across all formats. During his career, he has accumulated over 14,000 runs, including 31 centuries and 95 half-centuries.