South Africa held their nerve to clinch a thrilling two-run victory over Pakistan in a chaotic and error strewn finish to the third one-day international at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Tuesday.
Defending a modest total of just 228 for nine, built almost exclusively around an unbeaten century from opener Hashim Amla, South African seamers Lonwabo Tsotsobe and Juan Theron only just managed to defend 34 runs in the final four overs.
Pakistan came up short despite an unbeaten 59 from Fawad Alam who was dropped twice in the closing overs while Theron added to the tension by bowling a no ball with the first delivery of the final over from which 12 runs were required.
Amla hit 119, continuing a superb fun of form in the last six months which has seen him score 865 runs in his last 11 ODI innings with five centuries.
On an awkward, rather than difficult or dangerous batting surface which lacked pace, Amla guided and teased the ball into gaps and used his delicate touch to play as late as possible.
His team mates, however, were largely at sea with only J-P Duminy (26) passing 20. AB de Villiers might have done better than his 19 off 40 balls had he not been bizarrely given out stumped by third umpire Zameer Haider despite his back foot being clearly grounded behind his crease.
Pakistan's top order once again struggled although Imran Farhat (47) and Asad Shafiq (43) added 85 for the third wicket to repair the early damage.
Shahid Afridi hit his second ball for six to surpass Sanath Jayasuriya as the leading international six-hitter of all time across all formats (353) but was then promptly dismissed.
Seamer Wahab Riaz was the unlikely hero in the closing overs smiting fast bowler Morne Morkel over point for six in a cameo innings of 21 from 11 deliveries which suddenly reignited Pakistan's hopes which had seemed remote with 83 required from the final 10 overs and only five wickets in hand.
Left hander Alam did his best to squeeze the required runs out of his tail end partners but, whereas Abdul Razzaq had achieved it against even greater odds in the second match in Abu Dhabi, this time the Proteas managed to sneak home to take a 2-1 lead in the five-match series.
The fourth match of the series takes place at the same venue on Friday.
Scorecard
South Africa
Hashim Amla not out 119
J. Kallis b Akhtar 0
C. Ingram c and b Akhtar 4
AB de Villiers st Haider b Afridi 19
JP Duminy c Haider b Hafeez 26
D. Miller b Hafeez 6
A. Morkel c Hafeez b Afridi 19
J. Botha b Akhtar 15
M. Morkel c Alam b Riaz 2
R. Theron run out 5
Extras: (lb-1, nb-1, w-11) 13
Total: (for nine wickets) 228
Fall of wickets: 1-9, 2-15, 3-57, 4-116, 5-126, 6-163, 7-201, 8-211.
Bowling: Akhtar 10-1-39-3, Razzaq 5-1-19-0, Riaz 10-1-46-1, Ajmal 6-0-36-0, Afridi 10-0-53-2, Hafeez 9-0-34-2.
Pakistan
Imran Farhat run out 47
Mohammad Hafeez c Botha b Tsotsobe 4
Younis Khan c Botha b M. Morkel 0
Asad Shafiq run out 43
Shahid Afridi c de Villiers b M. Morkel 7
Fawad Alam not out 59
Abdul Razzaq c de Villiers b Kallis 12
Zulqarnain Haider c Amla b M. Morkel 11
Wahab Riaz c de Villiers b M. Morkel 21
Saeed Ajmal c de Villiers b Theron 2
Shoaib Akhtar not out 1
Extras: (lb13, nb 1, w5) 19
Total: (for nine wickets) 226
Fall of wickets: 1-12 (Hafeez), 2-13 (Younis), 3-98 (Farhat), 4-108 (Afridi), 5-121 (Shafiq), 6-148 (Razzaq), 7-176 (Haider), 8-209 (Riaz), 9-225 (Ajmal)
Bowling: M. Morkel 10-1-47-4 (1w), Tsotsobe 10-1-28-1 (2w), Kallis 7-0-30-1 (1w), Theron 8-0-49-1 (1nb), Botha 10-0-42-0, Duminy 5-0-17-0 (1w)
Result: South Africa won by two runs
Umpires: Aleem Dar (PAK) and Rodney Tucker (AUS)
TV Umpire: Zameer Haider (PAK)
Match Referee: Andrew Pycroft (ZIM)
