South Africa won the two-match Twenty20 series against Pakistan with a second six-wicket victory at the Zayed International Cricket Stadium.
Having won the toss and chosen to bat for the second day running, Pakistan could only set a target of 121 — one more than in Tuesday’s match — and duly suffered the same fate.
Graeme Smith led the way for South Africa with 38 while Colin Ingram contributed 31 off 17 balls as South Africa reached the modest target with eight balls to spare.
Earlier South African bowlers Rusty Theron (4-27) and Lonwabo Tsotsobe (2-20) shared the bowling honors.
For Pakistan, Misbah-ul-Haq was once again the top scorer with 33 while Abdul Razzaq chipped in with a breezy 25.
The teams will contest the first of five one-day internationals in Abu Dhabi today, before a two-Test series.
South Africa’s Twenty20 skipper Johan Botha said he was delighted with the bowling of Tsotsobe and Theron.
“Before today’s match I just asked them to just be consistent and repeat their displays of the first game,” Botha said. “To be consistent twice really augurs well for the team.”
“This 2-0 win gives us a good start for the series ahead. We have got a bit of momentum and we would like to carry that forward,” he said.
South Africa struck early in Pakistan’s innings when Tsotsobe removed both openers Shahzaib Hasan and Imran Farhat for single figures. At the other end, Morne Morkel bowled Mohammed Hafeez as Pakistan was reduced to 29-3.
Umar Akmal, the highest Twenty20 scorer this year, was on five when he went for a non-existent second run and was run out, leaving his team four down for 36.
Skipper Afridi came and left after playing an irresponsible shot, but Misbah, as he did during an unbeaten 27 in the first match on Tuesday, played some steady cricket while Razzaq slammed two sixes in his 29-ball innings of 25.
Misbah fell in the final over for a fighting 33 off 38 balls as Theron grabbed three wickets in that over to finish with 4-27.
Pakistan skipper Afridi said he was unhappy with his own batting form.
“Yes I played badly and if I had clicked the result would have been different,” he said. “However you must know that we are more of a one-day team and I am very confident that we will show our potential in the five-match ODI series.”
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