South Africa beat Pakistan by 4 wickets in 3rd ODI

Vernon Philander led a strong performance by South Africa’s bowlers to set up a four-wicket consolation win for the hosts in the third and final One-day International against Pakistan at SuperSport Park on Saturday.South Africa this avoided a first ODI series whitewash at home as Pakistan celebrated their first-ever series win over the Proteas.Man-of-the-Match Philander took three for 26 in a Pakistan total of 179 all out. South Africa made heavy weather of the chase but won with 68 balls to spare, steered home by an unbeaten 48 from skipper A.B. de Villiers.Seeking an historic sweep in South Africa, Pakistan struggled in their last game ontour, with only captain Misbah-ul-Haq (79 not out) holding off the bowlers.Misbah hit four fours and two sixes in his gritty knock after Pakistan were 97-7 at one point. Makeshift opener Umar Amin scored 25, as did Sohaib Maqsood, while Misbah and Abdur Rehman (22) shared a 51-run stand for the eighth wicket but South Africa was ontop in the last game despite missing strike bowler Dale Steyn, all-rounder Jacques Kallis and opening batsman Graeme Smith.Philander, recently recalled to the one-day side after starringfor the South African Test team, struck with the fourth ball of the match when AhmedShehzad was caught at first slip without scoring. Ahmed made a century when Pakistanclinched the series by winning the second match in Port Elizabeth on Wednesday.Fellow new ball bowler Lonwabo Tsotsobe had Asad Shafiq caught behind in the fourth over and Pakistan were unable to build any significantpartnerships against hostile bowling on a pitch which offered good bounce.The best stand of the innings was 51 for the eighth wicket between Misbah and Abdur Rehman (22).South Africa made a fast start, with Quinton de Kock and Hashim Amla putting on 39 on35 balls for the first wicket before De Kock mistimed a hook against Bilawal Bhatti and was caught at backward square leg.The momentum slowed as new cap Henry Davids was tied down by Saeed Ajmal before being stumped off the wily off-spinner after struggling to seven off 18 balls.Amla made 41 before being run out after a superb stop and quick throw by Umar Amin at backward point.In contrast to his dazzling 74 off 45 balls in Port Elizabeth, where he played one big shot too many and was out before South Africa ‘crossed the line’, in his words, de Villiers playeda risk-free innings to ensure that South Africa successfully chased down a target for the first time in eight recent attempts.South Africa appeared to be cruising home until Amla was run out in the 16th over to make it 75-3. J.P. Duminy (16) and David Miller (24) also fell after getting starts but de Villiers guided the Proteas home with three fours in his measured 48 from 63 balls.Saeed, who adjudged Man-of-the-Match, was again the best Pakistan bowling, taking two for 34 in 10 overs.With the series decided, both sides showed several changes.Kallis and Steyn, both with minor injuries, were rested from the South African team, while Smith was absent because of a family bereavement.Pakistan made four changes. Mohammad Hafeez and Junaid Khan were injured, according to captain Misbah, while Shahid Afridi and Nasir Jamshed were rested. The newplayers were Umar Amin, AsadShafiq, Sohail Tanvir and Abdur Rehman.While Pakistan head home to prepare for the series against Sri Lanka in the UAE, India are due to arrive in South Africa on Monday for three One-day Internationals and a two-match Test series.

Pakistan beat South Africa in second ODI for series win

PORT ELIZABETH: Pakistan held on for a thrilling one-run win in the second one-day international on Wednesday to beat South Africa in an ODI series for the first time, making its short-notice tour an historic one.Pakistan defended its 262 in a rain-shortened 45-over game by the smallest of margins as South Africa fell just short of the nine runs it needed off thelast over at St. George's Park to take the three-game series to a decider.Pakistan has the chance to be the first team ever to whitewash South Africa at home in an ODI contest in the final game.A century partnership between Hashim Amla (98) and AB de Villiers (74) took South Africa to the brink of victory, but Amla's wicket fell off the last ball of the penultimate over. Junaid Khantook 3-42 for the victorious tourists, who just held on under intense pressure.Earlier, Ahmed Shehzad's 102 set up victory for Pakistan, while Dale Steyn's career-best 6-39 was part of a losing effortfor South Africa as the world's leading team in test cricket continued to struggle for consistency in ODIs.Following a 4-1 drubbing by the South Africans in United Arab Emirates at the start of the month, Pakistan turned the tables dramatically weeks later to send South Africa to its first one-day series defeat at home in over two years.The Pakistanis have the chance to become the first team to ever whitewash South Africa at home in the final game in Centurion this weekend.Pakistan wasn't even meant to tour now, but was asked to fill a gap in South Africa's home schedule after India shortened its upcoming series. It also lost key players to injury before the series started and still came through for a momentous win.Shehzad's 102 off 112 balls with eight fours and two sixes laid a winning platform in PortElizabeth.He shared a 124-run partnership for the third wicket with Sohaib Maqsood (42) after coming through an early onslaught by Steyn in overcast conditions at the start of the day.Umar Akmal added a quick-fire42, but it was Pakistan's cool under pressure at the end thatsealed their triumph as a partnership of 110 between Amla and De Villiers looked to have put South Africa on track to come from behind to win and stay alive in the series.Saeed Ajmal struck for the crucial wicket of Amla on the last ball of the penultimate over and Khan had JP Duminy caught off the second ball of the last over as Pakistan fought until the end to make sure of its moment in history.Misbah hails series victoryPakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq hailed the series win against South Africa.Misbah admitted that a win seemed unlikely with two overs to go.He said: “But there is always pressure on the side batting second. We knew that we would have a chance if we hadone good over so that South Africa needed more than a runa ball in the last over, especially if they had new batsmen at the crease.”“It really means a lot to us to beat South Africa in a bilateralseries for the first time, especially doing it in South Africa,” said Misbah.It was especially satisfying because Pakistan were recently beaten 4-1 by the same opponents in the UnitedArab Emirates.“It is a young side and now they believe they can win. Thatwas what was lacking (in the previous series),” said Misbah.De Villiers struggled to explainyet another failed run chase by his team, who have now lost their last seven matches when batting second.“I had the game in my hands with Hash out there with me,” he said.“I've finished a lot of games like that before and I was on abit of a roll there. I should have caught my breath a little bit and looked at the situation again. It is very disappointing.”