Toss: South Africa won the toss and chose to field.

Teams:

Pakistan: 1. Umar Amin, 2. Ahmed Shehzad, 3.Asad Shafiq, 4. Sohaib Maqsood, 5. Misbah-ul-Haq(c), 6. Umar Akmal (wk), 7.Anwar Ali, 8. Bilawal Bhatti, 9. Saeed Ajmal, 10. Abdur Rehman, 11. Sohail Tanvir

South Africa: 1. Hashin Amla, 2. Q de Kock, 3. H Davids, 4. AB de Villiers, 5. JP Duminy, 6. David Miller, 7. R McLaren, 8. W Parnell, 9. L Tstotsobe, 10. V Philander, 11. Imran Tahir
 

With the series in the bag, Pakistan made four changes to the team that narrowly won the previous ODI. Shahid Afridi, Mohammad Hafeez, Nasir Jamshed and Junaid Khan were replaced by Umar Amin, Sohail Tanvir, Asad Shafiq and Abdur Rehman. South Africa also made three changes with Philander, Davids and Parnell coming in for Steyn, Smith and Kallis. The hosts won the toss and once again elected to field.

Suprisingly, Umar Amin was promoted to the vacated opener’s spot alongside Ahmed Shehzad. It was Shehzad though, the centurion from the last game, who fell in the first over. A loose drive outside off resulted in an outside edge off Philander and South Africa had an early wicket. Asad Shafiq came in at three and he didn’t last, this time it was Tsotsobe who found the edge with a ball angling across the right hander. Umar Amin meanwhile, looked right at home at the top of the order and picked up regular boundaries. A fantastic pull for six was the highlight as, along with Sohaib Maqsood, the young pair began to get the innings back on track.

It has to be said that some of the South African bowling was quite poor, with several bowls drifting on to the pads of the batsmen and were put away for four. Amin had reached an attractive 25 when he gave it away; slashing hard off McLaren and the edge flew to slip where it was superbly caught by Hashim Amla. Maqsood also fell after getting a start, mistiming a pull of McLaren and the bowler dived to his right to take a fantastic caught and bowled. It left Pakistan on 67-4 as Umar Akmal joined his captain at the crease.

They focused on picking up singles, and despite a few close calls, generally looked comfortable until Umar Akmal inexplicably charged out to Philander and looked to cart him into next week. He completely missed the ball and was fortunate that it missed the stumps. Next ball, with the previous shot no doubt in his mind, Akmal edged to the keeper. It was unfortunately a prime example of Umar Akmal’s problematic mindset when at the crease. 

The problematic mindset continued as two players who had driven Pakistan to good totals since their introduction to the team in the ODI series, Bilawal Bhatti (1) and Anwar Ali (1) fell in quick succession. Bhatti fell to the leg-spin of Imran Tahir and Anwar Ali was given out caught behind off the glove by the third umpire after South Africa decided to refer the original not-out decision. 

Abdul Rehman came out with Pakistan on 97/7, and joined his captain who was looking very comfortable at the crease. The left-hander combined with Misbah to produce the biggest partnership of the innings for Pakistan of 41, before holing out in the deep for 22. It was an irresponsible shot given the circumstances, and things only got worse when Tanvir (6) drove a delivery to the sweeper in the deep. 

Misbah, aware that Ajmal wasn't going to hang around too long, smashed Tahir for consecutive sixes down the ground in the 46th over. His instincts were correct, as Ajmal edged Parnell behind the next over. 

179 seemed a long way when Pakistan were 97/7, but Misbah who remained 79 not out, will be disappointed the lower order didn't provide more resistance as Pakistan were bowled out with three overs remaining.


Fall Of Wickets

1-2 Ahmed Shehzad, 0.4 overs, 
2-7 Asad Shafiq, 3.1 overs, 
3-48 Umar Amin, 10.6 overs, 
4-67 Sohaib Maqsood, 16.2 overs, 
5-85 Umar Akmal, 24.2 overs, 
6-96 Bilawal Bhatti, 27.5 overs, 
7-97 Anwar Ali, 28.1 overs,
8-148 Abdur Rehman, 41.4 overs, 
9-164 Sohail Tanvir, 44.5 overs, 
10-179 Saeed Ajmal, 46.5 overs


 

Fall Of wickets

South Africa got off to a bright start, with de Kock and Amla stroking seven boundaries in the first six overs. The batsmen played some confident shots against some wayward bowling by Anwar Ali and Sohail Tanvir, and it took the impressive Bilawal Bhatti to break the opening stand with de Kock pulling a bouncer high in the air. Ajmal took the catch and South Africa were 39/1 in the sixth over. 

Ajmal was introduced into the attack in the 9th over and 11 deliveries into his spell removed South Africa number three Davids for just seven, with a wonderfully-flighted delivery. The batsman lunged forward and Umar Akmal whipped the bails off in quick time. 

Amla's fluent 41(48) came to en end as he was run out by a fine piece of fielding by Umar Amin. Rehman deserved much of the credit as, he had troubled Amla in the over, who was looking to dominate the spinner to leave South Africa 75/3. 

Duminy departed just nine runs later, with Umar Akmal taking a smart one-handed catch in front of the wicket. 

de Villiers and Miller came together with South Africa on 84/4 and played tentatively against the spin of Ajmal and Rehman. Having survived the slow bowlers, Miller had a go at Tanvir and edged behind for 24. 

As it often the case in low-scoring matches, with South Africa at 124/5, Pakistan felt that they had an outstanding chance of registering an unlikely win. However, the partnership between de Villiers and McLaren ensured that South African innings didn't lose its momentum and that the runs kept flowing.

Nearing in on victory, McLaren edged one on to his stumps off the bowling of Ajmal for 17 with South Africa at 164/6. 

Needing just 16 runs to win, de Villiers ensured South Africa reached the target without any further loss of wickets. Wayne Parnell hit the winnings run as South Africa won the match comfortably in the end by 4 wickets and 68 balls remaining.

Fall Of Wickets

1-39 de Kock, 5.5 overs, 
2-49 Davids, 10.5 overs, 
3-75 Amla, 15.6 overs, 
4-84 Duminy, 19.2 overs, 
5-124 Miller, 26.5 overs
6-164 McLare, 35.5 overs
 

Pakistan scored a below-par 179 after being put in to bat by South Africa. Captain Misbah ul Haq was the only signifcant contributor, remaining not out on 79 as Pakistan were bowled out in the 47th overs. In reply, South African openers de Kock and Amla started confidently and looked to take the game away from Pakistan from the onset. Pakistan fought back with a few quick wickets, but a target 180 was always going to be tough to defend on a track conducive for batting. AB de Villiers top scored with 48* and ensured that South Africa finished the series with a consolation win.

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