Pakistan made cricket history with an 81-run victory in the second ODI against South Africa, clinching a 2-0 series win. This achievement makes Pakistan the first team in the 21st century to win three bilateral ODI series against South Africa on their home turf, following earlier successes in 2013 and 2021.
The team’s resilience under challenging South African conditions stands out, a feat matched only by Australia, which required 10 series attempts to achieve the same milestone. Pakistan’s latest triumph, their third in just seven attempts, highlights their adaptability and dominance.
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In the decisive match in Cape Town, Pakistan set a target of 330, bowling out South Africa for 248 in just 43.1 overs. Key contributions came from captain Mohammad Rizwan, Babar Azam, and player of the match Kamran Ghulam, each scoring crucial half-centuries.
The pace duo of Shaheen Shah Afridi and Naseem Shah delivered a match-winning spell, claiming seven wickets for 84 runs in a combined 16.1 overs.
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This marks Pakistan’s third consecutive ODI series win, following victories against Australia and Zimbabwe, and solidifies their place alongside Australia as the only teams to have won three or more ODI series in South Africa.