Pakistan condemned South Africa to their worst ever one-day defeat to level the series.

After taking a drubbing from the hosts in the first game, Pakistan hit back in style at St George's Park, with Salim Elahi laying the foundations for a 182-run victory with his third one-day century in four innings.

Allan Donald shows his frustration

Together with Abdur Razzaq, Elahi shared a magnificent partnership of 257 for the second wicket, a record for any team against South Africa in one-day internationals.

A late flurry of wickets including two in the last over for Allan Donald failed to check the Pakistanis, whose final total of 335 was the fourth highest they have made.

South Africa's previous worst one-day defeat was when the West Indies beat them by 107 runs in Kingston in 1992.

It was a perfect response by Pakistan after a poor batting display in the opening match of the series, which South Africa won at a canter by 132 runs.

The tourists recalled Sahid Afridi to open the batting with Elahi and he set the tone with three boundaries in making 13 from eight deliveries before he was caught by Herschelle Gibbs off Makhaya Ntini.

It failed to disturb Elahi, whose timing was perfect as he produced strokes of high quality all round the wicket, although he benefitted from being dropped on the boundary by Lance Klusener on 34.

Klusener and spinner Nicky Boje suffered the heaviest punishment as first Elahi and then Razzaq - with his first one-day hundred - reached three figures.

Pakistan's best ODI scores

371-9 v Sri Lanka Nairobi 1996 344-5v Zimbabwe Bulawayo 2002 338-5v Sri Lanka Swansea 1983 335-6 v South Africa Port Elizabeth 2002 330-6 v Sri Lanka Nottingham 1975

The pair were eventually parted when Razzaq slammed a full toss from Klusener straight down the throat of Ntini at long-on for 111.

Elahi followed shortly afterwards but for South Africa, the damage had already been done.

Set such a daunting target, their batsmen began briskly but once Waqar Younis had removed opener Herschelle Gibbs, their batting order collapsed.

Waqar also bowled Gibbs' fellow opener Graeme Smith and trapped Neil McKenzie lbw in a an opening spell of seven overs that earned him 3-45.

Mohammad Sami proved equally effective in a five-over burst worth 3-26 and Afridi inflicted the damage on the lower order, also taking three wickets.

Saqlain Mushtaq then caught and bowled Ntini to wrap up a comprehensive victory.

South Africa: Herschelle Gibbs, Graeme Smith, Jacques Kallis, Jonty Rhodes, Neil McKenzie, Mark Boucher, Lance Klusener, Shaun Pollock (captain), Nicky Boje, Allan Donald, Makhaya Ntini.

Pakistan: Shahid Afridi, Salim Elahi, Yousuf Youhana, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Younis Khan, Abdul Razzaq, Rashid Latif, Wasim Akram, Saqlain Mushtaq, Waqar Younis (captain), Mohammad Sami.