Shaheen leads Shaheens to series win against South Africa

CAPE TOWN: Shaheen Shah Afridi capitalised on the pressure Mohammad Rizwan, Babar Azam, and Kamran Ghulam put on South Africa with their incredible knocks, by dismantling the Proteas batting order on Thursday.

Pakistan won the second ODI by 81 runs, and the three match ODI series, after South Africa’s last wicket fell in the 44th over. The Proteas only managed to score 248 runs thanks to some excellent bowling from Shaheen and Naseem Shah.

SHAHEEN TAKES FOUR

Shaheen would have an incredible spell in the later overs. He dismissed David Miller in the 34th over on a shorter length ball that turned in to the South African, taking an inside edge on its way to Pakistan skipper and wicket keeper Rizwan. The umpire didn’t see the edge, but UltraEdge confirmed the contact. In Shaheen’s next over, he would bowl Marco Jansen with a yorker that destroyed the stumps. The Pakistani fast bowler would take his third wicket not long after, dismissing Andile Phehlukwayo for only one run on a delivery that struck the Proteas batter on the foot. Another review later, and South Africa found themselves just three wickets away from losing the series.

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Shaheen would get one more wicket in the 43rd over, sending off Kwena Maphaka with a little help from Rizwan again. Maphaka would only make one run before Shaheen’s delivery nicked the outside edge of South African’s bat and was subsequently caught by Rizwan.

NASEEM SHAH

Naseem Shah also had a great game, dismissing three batsmen. He would get the first breakthrough for Pakistan, dismissing Proteas skipper Temba Bavuma in the sixth over as the South African’s attempt at a flick went awry, popping the ball before Haris Rauf took an excellent catch near deep square.

Naseem took two more wickets, one each in the 42nd and 44th over. First, he sent off Bjorn Fortuin, who skied the delivery from Shah, allowing Babar Azam to take a simple catch at cover. Naseem then took the last wicket of the game, on a delivery that Heinrich Klaasen, who was just three runs off his fifth ODI century, pulled right to Irfan Khan who was situated on the boundary.

Abrar Ahmed and Salman Agha also took a combined three wickets to help Pakistan win their third ODI series in the last couple months.

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