Afridi and Anjum played their part in a fine Pakistan display in the field

Pakistan's batsmen produced the first successful run-chase of the series to earn a 2-1 lead in the third of five one-day matches against South Africa.

But it was the Pakistan bowlers who did the damage, bowling out the tourists for just 197 on a slow, turning pitch.

Shahid Afridi and Rao Iftikhar Anjum each took three wickets in Faisalabad before Mohammad Yousuf hit 58 not out to secure victory with 11 balls left.

Pakistan won by six wickets and will be high on confidence in Multan on Friday.

For South Africa, who had hit 294-5 in the first match for a 45-run victory, it was a second dispiriting batting performance in the space of three days.

Proteas skipper Graeme Smith won the toss and made a confident start with Herschelle Gibbs, who became the second South African after Jacques Kallis to pass 7,000 ODI runs, as they put on 43 in 10 overs.

But they struggled when Smith (48) was run out and a succession of batsmen fell to aggressive shots.

Apart from Justin Kemp (42) there was little else and Pakistan also put in a much improved performance in the field after dropping a glut of catches in the previous game in Lahore.

We need to play really well to comeback into the series now Graeme Smith

Afridi, who also took a stunning diving catch at mid-wicket to dismiss the dangerous AB de Villiers for 17, provided some fireworks for the 16,000 crowd with two sixes and four fours in his 18-ball 32.

His partnership with Yasir Hameed was the fifth different combination at the top in as many matches for Pakistan, and the duo put on 42 in seven overs.

Pakistan stuttered a little to be 68-3 in the 17th, but Yousuf played a patient innings, Shoaib Malik added an important 42, and Misbah-ul-Haq (29 not out) supplied the winning hit with a massive six over long-on off Albie Morkel.

"We got a decent start from Afridi and after that Yousuf showed a lot of maturity and carried us home," Malik said afterwards.

Smith was left to ponder another poor batting display, saying: "We couldn't put up partnerships in the middle overs and had we scored 20-30 more runs - which we are capable of doing - it could have been interesting.

"We made things difficult for ourselves by losing too many wickets in the last 10 overs. They bowled well up front and then both their spinners also did well.

"We need to play really well to comeback into the series now."