South Africa Level ODI Series by Beating Pakistan in 2nd Match
Mohammad Nawaz's career-best score of 59, supported by half-centuries from Saim Ayub and Salman Agha, helped Pakistan reach a competitive total of 269 in the second ODI against South Africa. Despite this strong total, South Africa secured an 8-wicket victory to level the three-match series 1-1 in Faisalabad.
Key Performances in Pakistan’s Innings
- Saim Ayub and Salman Agha shared a crucial 92-run partnership for the fourth wicket, stabilizing Pakistan’s innings after an early loss.
- Mohammad Nawaz's late surge in the final overs pushed Pakistan past 260 runs, finishing with a personal best score of 59.
- Pakistan’s innings faced pressure midway, slipping to 131/5 after 30 overs before Nawaz's aggressive batting revitalized their total.
South Africa’s Bowling Impact
Despite conceding 269 runs, South African bowlers showed resilience with career-best performances from key players:
- Nandre Burger: 4 wickets for 46 runs
- Nqabayomzi Peter: 3 wickets for 55 runs
- Other bowlers like Corbin Bosch, Donovan Ferreira, and Bjorn Fortuin maintained economy rates below six runs per over.
Early breakthroughs included Burger dismissing Fakhar Zaman with a short ball, and he quickly followed up with a total of three wickets, putting Pakistan under severe pressure at 22/3.
South Africa’s Successful Chase
Quinton de Kock played an exceptional innings, scoring a brilliant century that anchored South Africa's successful run chase and ensured a commanding eight-wicket win to even the series.
“Quinton de Kock scored a brilliant century as South Africa beat Pakistan in the 2nd ODI to level the three-match series 1-1.”
The match highlighted both strong individual performances and tactical bowling from South Africa, overcoming a challenging target set by a resilient Pakistan team.
Author’s Summary
South Africa’s balanced bowling and Quinton de Kock’s century led them to an eight-wicket win, leveling the ODI series after Pakistan posted a competitive 269.