Pakistan bowlers held their nerve to claim a most unlikely one-run victory over South Africa in dramatic fashion in the second one-day international at St George's Park last night.
The victory means Pakistan have won their first-ever bilateral ODI series against South Africa, with the third match in Centurion on Saturday now redundant.
Chasing 263 for victory in 45 overs, the Proteas looked set for victory with 11 needed off the final two overs, six wickets left, and Hashim Amla well-set in the 90s.
But somehow, the South Africans managed to locate a well-hidden panic button which saw them spiral into the depths of despair. Saeed Ajmal was charged with bowling the second-last over and amazingly conceded only two runs while taking the wicket of Amla, who fell trying to slog-sweep the spinner's final delivery for six.
Still the target was within reach as David Miller joined JP Duminy, with nine needed off the final six balls to be bowled by Junaid Khan. The left-arm seamer dismissed Duminy with his second delivery and it came down to Miller needing to hit the final ball for six. He only managed four leg byes and Pakistan had secured a famous victory.
Moments earlier AB de Villiers produced some audacious stroke-play as he cut, pulled, drove and lapped his way to an extraordinary 74 runs off 45 balls, which took his team to the brink of victory.
Hashim Amla also played a major part in the run-chase, making 98 off 131 balls, as did Quinton de Kock (47) with whom Amla laid a solid foundation. But it was De Villiers and his dominant role in a 110-run partnership in 13 overs with Amla which should have won the match.
Play got under way two hours late at noon and the match was reduced to a 45-over affair.
Two individual performances eventually stood out like beacons in the Pakistan innings after the visitors were asked to bat first.
Pakistan opener Ahmed Shehzad registered his third one-day international hundred before being run out, and Dale Steyn returned his best figures in this format of the game with 6/39, including dismissing Mohammad Hafeez for the 15th time in 23 matches.
Captain AB de Villiers will have been disappointed with the performance of the remainder of his seamers. Lonwabo Tsotsobe was brought back in place of Vernon Philander, as was Ryan McLaren, who replaced the rested Morné Morkel. They both struggled to maintain consistent areas, with McLaren being particularly expensive, conceding 71 runs in his nine overs.
Umar Akmal clubbed 42 off only 30 deliveries at the death to help propel his team to a total of note.
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