Ghulam inspires Pakistan to 329 in second ODI against Proteas
A scintillating half-century from Pakistan middle-order batter Kamran Ghulam inspired Pakistan to a daunting 329 all out batting first in the second one-day international against the Proteas at World Sports Betting Newlands in Cape Town on Thursday afternoon.
Ghulam smashed five sixes and four fours in his 32-ball 63 to finish off the innings with aplomb after captain Mohammad Rizwan, 80 off 82 (7x4; 3x6), and Babar Azam, 73 off 95 (7x4), had set the platform.
Most of the Proteas bowlers came in for a bit of tap, but young Kwena Maphaka on debut picked up an impressive 4-72, while Marco Jansen also got among the wickets with 3-71.
The Pakistan innings got off to a poor start as opener Abdullah Shafique fell for his second straight duck of the series, edging Jansen to keeper Heinrich Klaasen in the second over with the score 5-1.
First-game centurion Saim Ayub (25) and Azam then combined for a 48-run second- wicket stand to get them up and running, only for teenager Maphaka to make the breakthrough as Ayub top edged him to Rassie van der Dussen at third man, as they slipped to 53-2.
That brought Rizwan in and along with Azam they superbly set up the platform for Ghulam with a 115-run third-wicket partnership.
They took their side past the 100-run mark, Azam brought up his half century by cracking Aiden Markram for a four and single in the 25th over, while Rizwan brought up his fifty by slog sweeping Bjorn Fortuin over deep midwicket for six and then knocking a single in the 30th.
Just as they were looking to kick on Andile Phehlukwayo made the breakthrough, as Azam hammered a ball straight to Markram at midwicket in the 33rd, leaving them on 168-3.
𝐂𝐚𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐛𝐨𝐰𝐥𝐞𝐝 🤌
— SuperSport 🏆 (@SuperSportTV) December 19, 2024
Kwena Maphaka's debut just keeps getting better 🤩
📺 Stream #SAvPAK on DStv: https://t.co/rM90YyQxaw pic.twitter.com/kagLJOmAIE
Rizwan followed three overs later, as Maphaka took a sharp catch in his follow through to end his stay, as they slipped to 192-4.
Needing to rebuild going into the final 10 overs, Ghulam took centre stage, sharing in a 50-run stand with Salman Agha, 33 off 30 (3x4; 1x6), and dominated a 49-run partnership with Irfan Khan (15), as they powered towards 300.
Having carried his side over the mark Ghulam was then one of four wickets to fall over the final six balls of the innings, with three falling in Maphaka’s final over for an action packed finish.
SOUTH AFRICA: Tony de Zorzi, Temba Bavuma (capt), Rassie van der Dussen, Aiden Markram, Heinrich Klaasen (wk), David Miller, Marco Jansen, Andile Phehlukwayo, Bjorn Fortuin, Kwena Maphaka, Tabraiz Shamsi
PAKISTAN: Saim Ayub, Abdullah Shafique, Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan (capt, wk), Kamran Ghulam, Salman Agha, Irfan Khan, Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf, Abrar Ahmed
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