Pakistan post a 330-run target against South Africa in the second ODI at the Newlands Cricket Ground in Cape Town on Thursday.
The green shirts got off to a dismal start to their innings as their opener Abdullah Shafique perished for a two-ball duck in the first over with just five runs on the board.
Star batter Babar Azam joined Saim Ayub for a 48-run partnership that lasted with the opener’s dismissal in the 10th over.
Babar was then joined by skipper Mohammad Rizwan in the middle and together they raised a match-defining 115-run partnership for the third wicket, which saw both the batters amassing their half-centuries.
All-rounder Andile Phehlukwayo eventually broke the threatening in the 33rd over by getting Babar caught at midwicket.
The star batter scored 73 off 95 deliveries with the help of seven fours.
Rizwan was involved in a brief 24-run partnership with Salman Ali Agha before falling victim to Kwena Maphaka in the 36th over.
The wicketkeeper batter remained the top-scorer for Pakistan with an 82-ball 80, laced with 10 boundaries including three sixes.
Coming out to bat at number six, Kamran took the reins of Pakistan’s batting expedition with a blistering knock.
The right-handed batter struck four fours and five sixes on his way to a 32-ball 63.
He was also involved in crucial partnerships with Salman Ali Agha (33), Muhammad Irfan Khan (15) and Shaheen Shah Afridi (16) before getting dismissed on the first delivery of the final over.
For South Africa, Maphaka led the way with four wickets, followed by Marco Jansen with three, while Bjorn Fortuin and Phehlukwayo, chipped in with a scalp apiece.
Toss report
South Africa elected to field first against Pakistan after winning the toss in the second One-Day International (ODI) of the three-match series at Cape Town.
Thanks to a brilliant ton by opener Saim Ayub and an incredible all round performance with bat and an ball by man of the match Salman Ali Agha, Pakistan drew the first blood in the series to go one up.
Proteas captain Temba Bavuma is fit again and wanted to be the side chasing this time around. South Africa have made four changes, with Bavuma back, Kwena Maphaka making his debut, and Bjorn Fortuin straight into the XI. Ryan Rickelton, Tristan Stubbs, Ottneil Baartman, Kagiso Rabada are the players to sit this one out.
Pakistan, meanwhile, are unchanged after their victory in the first game
Pakistan and South Africa have played a total of 84 ODI matches. Of these, Pakistan won 31, while South Africa claimed victories 52 times. One match ended without results.
Pakistan will carry forward their winning momentum after clinching back-to-back ODI series victories against Australia and Zimbabwe and are eyeing their third consecutive ODI series win.
Similarly, South Africa are also riding a winning momentum, having triumphed in their previous series against Ireland 2-1.