SA vs. PAK 2024/25, South Africa vs. Pakistan 2nd ODI, Cape Town match report, December 19, 2024

49.5 overs Pakistan 329 (Rizwan 80, Babar 73, Ghulam 63, Maphaka 4-72) vs South Africa

Pakistan’s urgency immediately faded, with Babar and Rizwan opting for the more classic pace that comes so naturally to them. Both tried to work their way back into the runs and with South Africa preferring to stifle the run-scoring rather than look after the wickets, it seemed for a while as if the game was entering a phase of play where each side got what they got wanted .

There were still moments of combat, such as when Rizwan hit Aiden Markram over the cow corner for a six and Babar milked the spinners for the occasional boundary. But the strike rate fluctuated consistently between 4.75 and 5.1 and it was obvious that Pakistan were catching up in the innings.

Babar had passed 50 and appeared to be heading towards the elusive hundred, but then he smacked Andile Phehlukwayo at short midwicket straight to Markram, who was just hanging on after the ball hit his chest. Maphaka dismissed Rizwan with a great diving return catch and South Africa suddenly had the momentum.

But Ghulam rejected such ideas. Alongside Salman Agha, who punished some erratic South African bowling, Ghulam demonstrated his worth as a lower-order power hitter by making excellent use of his lower hand as he smashed five sixes in a whirlwind spell. The half-century spanned just 25 deliveries, testing both pace and spin. Irfan Khan, Shaheen Afridi and Haris Rauf provided good counterparts for the odd six at the other end, but until he struck out at Maphaka in the last over, the late attack was largely due to Ghulam. In about three hours, these back-end runs could well prove to be a series win.