JOHANNESBURG - Pakistan opening batsman Fakhar Zaman's astonishing innings of 193 could not prevent South Africa winning the second one-day international by 17 runs in Johannesburg on Sunday.
Pakistan seemed to have no chance when they slumped to 205 for seven in the 38th over in reply to South Africa's 341 for six at the Wanderers Stadium. But Fakhar's assault took them to 324 for nine.
With only his team's bowlers to keep him company, the left-handed Fakhar, who was on 97 when Faheem Ashraf was the seventh man out, went on all-out attack.
In all, he hit 18 fours and ten sixes in a 155-ball innings before being run out in the last over by a direct hit from long-off as he was trying for a second run.
With wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock seemingly gesturing for Aiden Markram to throw to the bowler's end, Fakhar slowed down and was surprised when the ball hit the stumps at the batsman's end when he was a metre or more short, ending his bold counter-attack.
"It was one of the best innings I have seen in my life," said Pakistan captain Babar Azam.
"It was an incredible innings, probably the best I have come across," said South African captain Temba Bavuma. "Everything he tried came off."
Fakhar, who made a ODI double century against Zimbabwe in 2018, was named man of the match.
"I tried my level best," he said. "That's my game.
"The wicket was really good, the boundaries were very short and the run rate was going up. I was just hitting the ball."
Fakhar admitted he was taken by surprise by his dismissal. "I was looking at Haris Rauf because I thought the run-out would be at his end. It was my own fault," he said at the post-match press conference.
South Africa's win levelled the three-match series.
The hosts will be without five of their Indian Premier League-contracted players for the deciding match in Centurion on Wednesday.
De Kock, Bavuma, Rassie van der Dussen and David Miller hit half-centuries after South Africa were sent in.
The South African innings was in dramatic contrast to their effort in the first match at Centurion, when they lost four wickets inside the first 15 overs, with Pakistan going on to win by three wickets off the last ball. - AFP, April 5, 2021
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