Pakistan scored 329 runs before being bowled out (Rizwan made 80, Babar added 73, and Maphaka took 4 wickets for 72 runs) and defeated South Africa, who were all out for 248 (Klaasen scored 97, while Shaheen took 4 wickets for 47 runs and Naseem took 3 for 37), by 81 runs.
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In their finest performance across all three ODI series over the past six weeks, Pakistan overwhelmed South Africa by 81 runs, securing their third consecutive ODI series triumph.
Shaheen Afridi excelled with the ball after half-centuries from Mohammad Rizwan, Babar Azam, and Kamran Ghulam enabled Pakistan to set a total of 329 in the second ODI in Cape Town. South Africa struggled to build partnerships, even in light of a valiant 97 runs off 74 balls from Heinrich Klaasen. Afridi regained his rhythm, threatening at the start and deadly with the reverse swing towards the end, finishing with four wickets as South Africa was bowled out for 248.
South Africa began their chase with the same confidence and determination as in their first innings in Paarl. From the outset, as Temba Bavuma, returning from injury, flicked Afridi's first delivery for four runs, South Africa started strongly, regularly finding the gaps in the infield to maintain the required run rate. When Naseem Shah induced a leading edge from the South African captain, it was the first wicket to fall, but Tony de Zorzi and Rassie van der Dussen continued their brisk pace, enjoying a strong start during the opening powerplay.
However, the home team faced the recurring issue of losing clusters of wickets, a pattern Pakistan has effectively exploited to disrupt opposing teams' momentum. De Zorzi, van der Dussen, and Aiden Markram all fell within a short span of just 39 runs, putting immense pressure on Klaasen to pull off another stunning recovery. Alongside David Miller, he seemed to have steadied South Africa's innings with a partnership that combined stability and aggression, with the 72 runs they added bringing the hosts back into contention.
Yet Afridi chose the right moment to deliver what might be his most impressive bowling spell since his injury two years ago hindered his progress. With the lights fully illuminating the field and the match finely poised, he managed to bowl closer to 140 kph, adjusting his wrist position to capitalize on the newly available reverse swing. He produced a delivery that just missed Miller, and after a review, technology confirmed that it had grazed the inside edge.
However, the wicket of Marco Jansen demonstrated the utmost technical finesse. Approaching the wicket from around the wicket, Afridi's delivery angled in towards middle stump before seemingly veering away, with Jansen's bat nowhere near it as it struck the base of middle and off stumps. He consistently found late swing at such speed that even the umpire had difficulty spotting it, necessitating another review to confirm that Andile Phehlukwayo had been struck on the pad before the ball hit his bat, leading to a plumb lbw decision.
The reason it was achievable, however, was that Pakistan managed to accomplish something South Africa had failed to do throughout the series. They navigated through an ODI innings effectively while preserving wickets. Klaasen might have been equally skilled in taking on the Ghulam role during the closing stages, but, as he knelt in disappointment after Pakistan secured their win, he found himself without a partner to share that moment.
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