Shinwari helps Pak draw level
A thrilling spell of bowling from Usman Shinwari helped Pakistan on their way to a comfortable eight-wicket thrashing of South Africa in the fourth ODI at the Wanderers on Sunday.
The left-arm seamer stunned the home side in a thrilling passage of play, taking four wickets across six deliveries as South Africa collapsed from 119/2 to 164 all out.
Pakistan's top-order were untroubled by the total on offer, Imamul Haq the star once again after his century in the third ODI, his innings of 71 helping the visitors level the series at 2-2.
Shoaib Malik, Pakistan's stand-in skipper for the suspended Sarfaraz Ahmed, won the toss and elected to field. The decision appeared to be a wise one early on, with Quinton de Kock (0) and Reeza Hendricks (2) falling victim to Shaheen Afridi's new-ball spell.
The old guard of Hashim Amla and Faf du Plessis set about recovering the Proteas innings, and did so with aplomb, putting on a 101-run partnership, It was to end with a breakthrough from Shadab Khan, as a top-edged sweep off the leg-spinner saw du Plessis (57) send the ball into the safe hands of Mohammad Hafeez at deep mid-wicket.
Amla (59) departed not long after, his stumps rattled by Imad Wasim, before Mohammad Amir took his first ODI wicket in over six months, with David Miller (4) trapped in front of his crease.
The stage was set for Shinwari, returning to the side after missing the previous two ODIs. His sixth over was one to remember. Rassie van der Dussen (18) was to be his first wicket, an angled-delivery to the right-hander flicked the edge as the batsman slashed hard, with Mohammad Rizwan taking the catch behind the stumps.
The fifth ODI will now serve as a decider, set to be played on January 30 in Cape Town.
SCORES IN BRIEF
SOUTH AFRICA: 164 all out in 41 overs (Amla 59, Du Plessis 57; Shinwari 4-35, Afridi 2-24, Shadab 2-42)
PAKISTAN: 168 for 2 in 31.3 overs (Imamul 71, Zaman 44, Azam 41 not out; Phehlukwayo 1-17)
Result: Pakistan won by eight wickets and levelled the five-match series 2-2.
Player-of-the-match: Usman Shinwari.
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