- 5th ODI (D/N), Pakistan tour of South Africa
CAPE TOWN: Pakistan were sitting pretty after the first 20 overs of the innings, looking set to post a total hefty enough to challenge South Africa anywhere, let alone in Cape Town where the side batting first has enjoyed great success. But it was through the middle overs that South Africa pulled them back with clinical efficiency, not only undoing the damage incurred early on but pulling the visitors back to a below par 240. It was the allrounders rather than the bowling specialists who hit Pakistan hardest: Andile Phehlukwayo, Dwaine Pretorius and Wiaan Mulder sharing five wickets between them to give their side a glistening chance to seal a series win.
Despite the fact that teams batting first have only lost twice here at Newlands in the last 18 years after having posted 240, and 23 of the last 29 matches have seen the chasing side vanquished, Faf du Plessis decided to put Pakistan in first. That all four matches this series have been won by the team batting second may have played a part, with the South African captain prioritising the most recent history rather than records further down the years. Dale Steyn got them off to the best possible start, Pakistan’s leading run-scorer this series Imam-ul-Haq dismissed slashing one down to third man in just the third over. Cricinfo
