South Africa vs Pakistan 2021, 2nd ODI: Fakhar Zaman's Single-Handed Record Knock Just Fail To Secure Stunning Victory As South Africa Level Series

On Sunday (4th April), the hosts South Africa just managed to claim a 17-run victory in their pink ODI against the visitors Pakistan and levelled the three-match ODI series by a 1-1 margin with the last ODI to be played yet, which has been scheduled on this Wednesday (7th April) at Centurion.

After Pakistan captain Babar Azam chose to field first, South Africa scored 341/6 (50 overs) in the first innings with the help of four half-centuries. Though the opener Fakhar Zaman played the record second innings knock in ODI history, Pakistan finally managed to score 324/9 in 50 overs.

South Africa vs Pakistan 2021, 2nd ODI

Toss: Pakistan won the toss and chose to field first

Playing XIs

South Africa: Aiden Markram, Quinton de Kock (wk), Temba Bavuma (C), Rassie van der Dussen, David Miller, Heinrich Klaasen, Andile Phehlukwayo, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje, Lungi Ngidi, Tabraiz Shamsi

Alteration(s): None

Pakistan: Imam ul Haq, Fakhar Zaman, Babar Azam (C), Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Danish Aziz, Asif Ali, Shadab Khan, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Mohammad Hasnain, Haris Rauf

Alteration(s): None

South Africa vs Pakistan 2021, 2nd ODI (2nd innings): Pakistan – 324/9 in 50 overs (Fakhar Zaman 193, Babar Azam 31; Anrich Nortje 3/63)

Lungi Ngidi provided a great start as he dismissed the opener Imam-ul-Haq for just 5 runs in the second over. Aiden Markram grabbed an excellent catch with a diving effort at slip.

But another opener Fakhar Zaman and captain Babar Azam handled the first powerplay really well.

Powerplay 1 (0.1-10 overs): Pakistan scored 68/1

But after the first powerplay, Pakistan lost control of the game and Anrich Nortje once again became the reason for the hosts’ smile.

11th over: Anrich Nortje delivered his first over and got two wickets. At first, he dismissed Pakistan captain Babar for 31 runs (6 fours) on the fourth ball. Proteas captain Temba Bavuma finally took Babar’s top edge at the mid-on after juggling multiple times.

On the final ball of that same over, in-form wicket-keeper batsman Mohammad Rizwan was dismissed for a duck as Nortje’s delivery found an edge and Heinrich Klaasen took the catch at first slip.

Danish Aziz was the next victim of Nortje as the newcomer scored only 9 runs before the wicket-keeper Quinton de Kock grabbed his edge.

Apart from the opener Fakhar Zaman, all other batsmen failed to stand out in that chasing. He first completed his fifty in 70 balls then the desperate left-handed batsman continued his brilliant batting for a longer period.

Zaman and Asif Ali built up a 66-run partnership for the sixth wicket but Andile Phehlukwayo got Asif for 19 runs.

Before the completion of the second powerplay, Zaman completed his fifth ODI century in 107 balls.

Powerplay 2 (10.1-40 overs): Pakistan scored 158/6

Fakhar Zaman’s amazing lone effort kept the visitors in the game as the opener became a more dangerous batsman after completing his century.

44th over: Tabraiz Shamsi was welcomed in that over with three consecutive sixes by Fakhar Zaman in the first three balls. With a sixer on the second ball, Zaman completed his 150 runs in 128 balls and became the first Pakistan batsman to score 150 runs in the second innings of an ODI match.

While aggressive Zaman guided a 68-run partnership for the eighth wicket with Shaheen Shah Afridi, Kagiso Rabada ended that partnership after he was caught and bowled Afridi for just 5 runs.

However, Fakhar Zaman continued his outstanding batting till the last over but his hard work just failed due to lack of support from the other end. Zaman recorded the highest score in the second innings of an ODI match after surpassing former Australian cricketer Shane Watson’s previous record of 185 not out (against Bangladesh at Dhaka on 11th April 2011).

After scoring 193 off 155 runs, Zaman was run out by Aiden Markram’s incredible direct throw from the long-off to the striker-end wicket. However, that run out happened majorly due to Quinton de Kock’s faking effort which was the result of Zaman’s casual run-out.

Though Mohammad Hasnain hit three fours and scored 12 not out off just 5 balls, it was just too late for Pakistan.

Powerplay 3 (40.1-50 overs): Pakistan added 98/2

South African pacer Anrich Nortje had bowling figures of 10-1-63-3. Also, Andile Phehlukwayo had bowling figures of 10-0-67-2. Kagiso Rabada got one wicket but he had bowling figures of 10-2-43-1.

South Africa vs Pakistan 2021, 2nd ODI (1st innings): South Africa – 341/6 in 50 overs (Temba Bavuma 92, Quinton de Kock 80, Rassie van der Dussen 60, David Miller 50*; Haris Rauf 3/54)

Openers Quinton de Kock and Aiden Markram set up a good start with the 55 runs partnership. In the 10th over, Faheem Ashraf finally provided the first breakthrough as Markram was dismissed for 39 off 34 balls.

Powerplay 1 (0.1-10 overs): South Africa scored 56/1

Quinton de Kock and skipper Temba Bavuma then controlled the innings. De Kock completed his fifty in 60 balls while that second-wicket partnership added 114 runs before Haris Rauf bowled the Proteas opener for 80 off 86 balls (10 fours and only six). A thin inside edge from De Kock costed that wicket on the first ball of the 31st over.

However, skipper Bavuma continued his strong batting with the last ODI centurion Rassie van der Dussen. In just 69 balls, that third-wicket partnership added 101 runs. During the early of that partnership, Bavuma completed his fifty in 68 balls.

Powerplay 2 (10.1-40 overs): South Africa added 191/1

Meanwhile, aggressive van der Dussen reached his 50 runs in just 34 balls after hitting a boundary to Shadab Khan on the final ball of the 41st over.

42nd over: Mohammad Hasnain’s off-cutter finally worked for the visitors as he ultimately dismissed the dangerous van der Dussen for 60 off just 37 balls (6 fours and 4 sixes). Van der Dussen failed to clear the long-on for another sixer as Faheem Ashraf took that catch. Van der Dussen smashed a sixer and a four to Hasnain in back-to-back deliveries before losing his wicket on the next delivery.

Despite his brilliant batting, captain Temba Bavuma missed his ODI century just for eight runs as he was dismissed for 92 off 102 balls (9 fours) by Haris Rauf in the 47th over. His shot went straight to deep mid-wicket as Pakistan captain Babar Azam took that catch.

But David Miller enjoyed the death overs as his batting helped the Proteas to manage a high first-innings total.

50th over (last over): David Miller consecutively hit 4, 6 and 4 to Shaheen Shah Afridi from second to fourth balls and then snatched two doubles to ultimately complete his half-century on the final delivery as he took only 27 balls to reach his 50 runs (50 not out off 27 balls; 3 fours and 3 sixes).

Powerplay 3 (40.1-50 overs): South Africa added 94/4

Pakistan pacer Haris Rauf got three wickets as he had bowling figures of 10-0-54-3. Apart from him and Danish Aziz, who delivered two overs, all other four Pakistan bowlers had economy rates over 6.50.