SECOND ONE-DAY INTERNATIONAL, Lahore:
Pakistan 265-9 beat South Africa 240 (49.3 overs) by 25 runs Yousuf hit his 13th one-day international ton |
Mohammad Yousuf's century set Pakistan on course for a 25-run victory over South Africa in Lahore to level the one-day series at 1-1.
Yousuf's 117 carried the hosts to 265-9 after they won the toss, while skipper Shoaib Malik hit 56, with four sixes.
South Africa lost two wickets in the first two overs, although captain Graeme Smith stood firm with 65.
Umar Gul and Rao Iftikhar Anjum took three wickets each to bowl the tourists out for 240 in the final over.
Yousuf's century was the 13th by the 33-year-old in one-day internationals - he has also had 23 in Tests - and saw him pass 8,000 runs in the limited-overs format.
South Africa never really looked like coming close to that total, although their middle and late-order batsmen battled bravely.
The run chase started badly when Gul had opener Herschelle Gibbs lbw half-forward for a duck.
Jacques Kallis also departed without scoring when he steered a Sohail Tanvir delivery to Younus Khan at second slip.
Smith and AB de Villiers shared a 76-run third-wicket partnership which ended when the latter was bowled by Iftikhar, who had Justin Kemp lbw shortly afterwards.
Mark Boucher was caught and bowled by Shahid Afridi and Smith was then caught behind off Abdur Rehman for 65.
Shaun Pollock and Albie Morkel put on 55 for the seventh wicket but when Morkel was run out and Pollock bowled off his pads by Gul, South Africa's fight was quelled.
 | 606: DEBATE |
Yousuf earlier received support from Younus, Malik and Misbah-ul-Haq after the hosts also got off to a poor start, losing both openers cheaply.
Kamran Akmal was bowled off an inside edge by Pollock for a duck, and Imran Nazir holed out off Makhaya Ntini.
But after Younus had been run out, Yousuf and Malik put on 107 for the fourth wicket - the former going on to hit nine fours from 143 balls before he was bowled through the gate by Morkel.
The five-match series continues in Faisalabad on Tuesday.
Pakistan skipper Shoaib Malik was fined 50% of his match fee after the match because of their slow over-rate. The other members of the team were each fined 15% of their match fees.
Man of the Match Mohammad Yousuf: "It was a slow pitch and difficult to make shots when the ball got old."
Pakistan captain Shoaib Malik: "I am pleased at the team's performance. We batted well to post a challenging total and then bowled well and despite dropping catches we were able to pull off a much-needed win."
South Africa skipper Graeme Smith: "It was always challenging to chase 265-plus, more so because it was a used wicket. We got close but we kept on losing wickets in the middle overs. Credit to Yousuf, his hundred was a good effort."
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