Woken-up Abdul Razzaq hit a belligerent unbeaten hundred to help Pakistan pull off an incredible win in the second one-day international against South Africa on Sunday.
The dashing 30-year-old all-rounder hit a quickfire 109 off just 72 balls studded with 10 towering sixes and seven fours to help Pakistan overhaul a daunting 288-run target with just one wicket and one delivery to spare.
Razzaq’s third one-day hundred — crossing the fifty mark for the first time since making 75 not out against England four years ago — helped Pakistan level the five-match series 1-1 at the Abu Dhabi Stadium.
South Africa won the first match by eight wickets on Friday. The third match will be played in Dubai today.
Razzaq, who came to the crease at 136-5, added 81 for the sixth wicket with Fawad Alam (48) to raise hopes of a Pakistan win and even after Alam fell, he did not lose heart despite Pakistan needing 87 in the last 10 overs.
He hit Charl Langeveldt for three sixes in 47th over before taking a six and a boundary off the same bowler in the 49th. Pakistan needed 14 off the last over as Razzaq cut loose, hitting sixes off the second and third balls from Albie Morkel to raise his hundred off just 70 balls.
He then cut through the point for boundary to bring Pakistan’s win.
Langeveldt, who completed his 100 wickets in the match, provided his team with early breakthroughs, removing opener Asad Shafiq (one) and Younis Khan for 18.
Pakistan struggled to 70-4 before Alam and skipper Shahid Afridi (49) added 66 for the fifth wicket to lift the stuttering innings. Afridi hit two sixes and three boundaries off 40 balls before passing the buck to Razzaq.
Man-of-the-match Razzaq said he was happy to play lead role in the victory.
“I am elated,” he said after the match. “I am sure this win will lift our morale which was down after Twenty20 series defeat and first one-day loss.”
“I thought the match turned South Africa’s way when we lost the eighth wicket and it became a game of fours and sixes. I am happy that I am able to hit those. It is the best innings of my career,” he said.
Earlier, the 25-year-old Ingram scored exactly 100 for his second century in three weeks after making a hundred on his debut against Zimbabwe just two weeks ago.
The left-hander put on 84 for the second wicket with opener Amla (65) and then another 86 for the third wicket with AB de Villiers (29) as Pakistan’s bowlers found it hard to put brakes on the South African innings.
Jean-Paul Duminy chipped in with a swift 43-ball 54.
Graeme Smith, who missed the match along with Jacques Kallis due to injury, praised Razzaq.
“We were in a position to shut the match close and it needed a massive individual effort to turn the tables which Razzaq did,” Smith said.
It was Ingram who built the innings, hitting 10 boundaries and a six off paceman Razzaq before he was trapped leg-before by fast bowler Wahab Riaz who replaced Umar Gul in the Pakistan squad for the only change. He faced 119 balls.
Amla started the run feast with three boundaries in paceman Shoaib Akhtar’s first over of the match, before fellow opener Robin Peterson fell leg-before to Razzaq in the fourth over.
Ingram then took charge and in the company of Amla took the score to 108.
Shahid Afridi made the breakthrough by trapping Amla leg-before. The bearded opener hit eight boundaries off 62 balls.
Duminy’s knock contained three fours and a six before he fell in the last over.
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