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FILE | South Africa’s Quinton de Kock celebrates after reaching his century
South Africa’s national cricket team has bounced back in emphatic fashion to keep the One Day Series against Pakistan very much alive.
The Proteas trounced the hosts comprehensively by eight wickets in the second ODI at the Iqbal Stadium in Faisalabad to level the three-match series at one game apiece.
Pakistan won the toss and opted to bat, but it was Proteas quick Nandre Burger who dominated proceedings within his opening spell.
With some hostile bowling with the new ball, Burger made early inroads into their top order taking three wickets in quick succession to help reduce the hosts to 22 for three by the fifth over.
Saim Ayub and Salman Ali Agha rebuilt their innings with a 92 run fourth wicket partnership with Ayub scoring a half-century. It was seamer Corbin Bosch who broke through with the scalp of Ayub soon after the milestone.
Ali Agha now partnering Mohammad Nawaz also went on to notch up a half-century before he was bowled out by Bosch for 69. Burger also accounted for Faheem Ashraf for 28, finishing with figures of four for 46.
Leg-spinner Nqabayomzi Peter also pitched in with three wickets including Pakistani captain Shaheen Shah Afridi for one. But his final over, was expensive going for 22 runs as Nawaz also recorded a half-century.
Pakistan ended their innings with a maximum, posting 269 for the loss of nine wickets in their 50 overs.
South Africa’s openers Lhuan-dre Pretorius and Quinton de Kock laid a solid foundation for their chase.
Scoring freely the pair put on a 81-run opening stand before seamer Mohammad Wasim dismissed Pretorious for 46.
De Kock at the other continued his onslaught, recording his 32nd half century in One Day cricket at a run-a-ball.
He shared in a massive, match-winning, 153-run second wicket partnership with Tony de Zorzi, who also looked to take on the bowling. He too notched up a fighting half-century, his second in ODIs from just 40 deliveries.
De Kock went on to convert his 50 to a superb century, his 22nd in this format of the game and his second against Pakistan.
De Zorzi was eventually departed for a classy 76 in the 35th over but the damage as they say was already done with the visitors needing just 36 more runs to win.
Captain Mathew Breetzke eventually hit the winning run while De Kock finished unbeaten on 123 as the Proteas cruised to an eight-wicket victory with 59 deliveries to spare.
