South Africa clinch ODI series against Pakistan

Kallis top scored with 83 and then struck crucial blows to return impressive figures of three for 30 to deny Pakistan who were set an improbable target of 318 for victory.

After a promising start in which openers Shahzaib Hassan and Mohammad Hafeez posted 82 runs in 12 overs, Pakistan lost wickets at regular intervals and folded up for 260 in the 45^th over.

South Africa thrashed the pulp out of Pakistan’s bowlers to the tune of 317 for five wickets with solid half centuries from Hashim Amla (62), AB de Villiers (61) and Jean Paul Duminy (59).

On a windswept evening which threatened to kick up a dust storm, South Africa’s batsmen made merry to add injury to an already beleaguered side rocked by the abrupt departure of wicketkeeper Zulqarnain Haider just hours before the crucial tie with the series deadlocked at 2-2.

With Pakistan looking for their first one-day series win over South Africa, the hazy clouds which hovered over the stadium in the evening aptly resembled the despondent atmosphere in their camp.

Little wonder that South African captain Graeme Smith had no hesitation in electing to bat first and send Pakistan on a leather hunt by posting the highest score in the Dubai stadium which eclipsed the 275 Pakistan made on Friday.

Amla set the tone of their innings by smashing three boundaries in the opening over from Shoaib Akhtar, including the first two balls to the point and midwicket fence. He went on to complete 1,000 calendar runs in a year during his knock.

At the other end, Smith hit three boundaries in his brief knock of 14 before being undone by a slower delivery from Akhtar’s third over miscuing to Shahid Afridi at mid off with the total on 35.

Amla raced to his 10^th one-day fifty off just 33 balls during his 73-run second wicket stand with Jacques Kallis before falling in the 15^th over for a 41-ball 62. It was studded with nine hits to the ropes and one over off Afridi for the only six of the innings before being held in the deep by Akhtar going for a similar strike off the leg spinner.

The South African innings gathered momentum during a thrilling 121-run partnership for the third wicket between Kallis and AB de Villiers. Kallis raced to his 80^th one-day fifty in 44 balls and was looking good for a century when he was scooped by Wahab Riaz at point inches from the ground off Afridi.

When Kallis reached 81, he completed 11,000 one-day runs in his 307th match. He became the sixth batsmen to score 11,000 or more runs in 50-over format of the game.

India’s Sachin Tendulkar (17598), Sri Lankan Sanath Jayasuriya (13428), Australian Ricky Ponting (13082), Pakistan’s Inzamam-ul-Haq (11739) and Indian Sourav Ganguly (11363) were the others to cross this mark.

 

His dismissal triggered a mini-collapse with AB de Villiers and Colin Ingram departing in quick succession to slip to 228 for five in the 40^th over. De Villiers was caught by Younis Khan off Mohammed Hafeez for 61 off 72 balls with his 24^th one-day half century being spiced with five boundaries.

But runs continued to come unabated as Johan Botha joined Duminy to step on the accelerator with an unbroken sixth wicket alliance of 89 in just over 10 overs to set Pakistan an improbable target.

Left hander Duminy’s 41-ball 59 was studded with eight boundaries including four in the 47^th over bowled by Akhtar who went for 77 in his seven overs for the wicket of Amla.

Botha’s contribution was 28 off 26 balls with two fours.

Afridi returned the best figures of two for 59 while Hafeez claimed one for 47.

Kallis put the skids on Pakistan’s run chase by grabbing three wickets in successive overs with his medium pace.

Openers Hassan and Hafeez gave Pakistan their best start of the series as they began the run chase earnestly.

The pair flayed Dale Steyn and Lonwabo Tsotsobe with Hassan cracking six boundaries in his 42-ball 39 before Kallis struck in the 13^th over.

The experienced Younis Khan and Mohammad Yousuf, drafted into the side at the eleventh hour, departed in identical fashion caught behind by AB de Villiers off Kallis within the space of six runs as Pakistan slipped from 82 for no loss to 96 for three.

It became 101 for four when Fawad Alam cut straight to De Villiers off the returning Steyn.

Hafeez completed his seventh one-day fifty by pulling Steyn to square leg for his sixth boundary but mistimed a lofted shot off spinner Botha which was taken comfortably by Kallis at long on. Hafeez’s run a ball 58 contained seven boundaries.

At 119 for five in the 23^rd over, Pakistan seemed down though not out of the game completely. Afridi (24) smashed two sixes in over from Botha to lift Pakistan’s hopes adding 47 runs for the seventh wicket with Umar Akmal before being stumped by De Villiers when he charged down the track and attempted to hoist left arm spinner Robin Peterson’s second delivery over midwicket.

Akmal, who replaced Haider, kept alive their hopes with some lusty hits during his knock of 60 off 71 balls which contained three sixes and a four. He completed his sixth one-day half century during his 60-run partnership for the seventh wicket with Abdul Razzaq but fell in the batting powerplay overs with Smith taking an overhead catch off Steyn.

Riaz did not last long while the slim hopes Pakistan had disappeared when Razzaq holed out to Botha off Tsotsobe for 39 off 40 balls which contained three fours and a six before he was ninth out in the 44^th over. Abdul Rehman hit an amazing six off Peterson but last man Akhtar was bowled a few balls later to end their resistance.