Dale Steyn returned his best one-day bowling figures while opener Quinton de Kock hit a maiden hundred as South Africa beat Pakistan by 28 runs in the fourth day-night international in Abu Dhabi on Friday.
Steyn (5-25) derailed Pakistan in the 47th over with the wickets of Umar Akmal (22), captain Misbah-ul Haq (65) and Saeed Ajmal (0) to wreck the opposition from 228-5 to 238 all out in 49.2 overs.
South Africa’s win gave them an unassailable 3-1 lead in the five-match series ahead of the fifth and final match in Sharjah on Monday.
With Misbah and Umar at the crease, and with 41 needed in five overs, Pakistan looked set to level the series but Steyn improved on his previous best of 5-50 against India at Nagpur in 2011 to help South Africa snatch an unexpected win, like they did in the first match.
Misbah, along with debutant Sohaib Maqsood (56), put Pakistan in charge but Steyn removed Maqsood in the 37th over to give his team a sniff of the victory.
When Misbah holed out, after hitting four boundaries and a six off 76 balls, Pakistan’s hopes were suddenly dashed.
“I am very happy and proud of the boys with this series win away from home, especially after a really bad show in Sri lanka,” said South Africa captain AB de Villiers.
Pakistan had raced to 74 without loss in a cautious start before they lost three wickets in the space of 12 runs.
In the 19th over, Ahmed Shehzad was run out for 43 as he failed to reach the striker’s end after Mohammad Hafeez went for a sharp single. He hit five boundaries and a six off 59 balls.
It became 85-2 when leg-spinner Imran Tahir bowled Hafeez (33) and a run later Asad Shafiq miscued a drive and was caught off paceman lonwabo Tsotsobe for just one.
Maqsood, likened to former Pakistan batting master Inzamam-ul Haq, reached his half-century with a superb flick off paceman Morne Morkel for his fifth boundary. In all he hit six boundaries and two sixes off 54 balls.
Brief Scores
SA: 266 (Quinton de Cock 112, Hashim Amla 46; Mohammad Hafeez 2/34, Junaid Khan 2/42) beat Pak: 238 (Misbah 65; Sohaib Maqsood 56; Dale Steyn 5/25) by 28 runs.