Star all rounder Abdur Razzaq's match-winning century brought a thrilling win to Pakistan against South Africa in 2nd ODI. Abu Dhabi stadium, on 31st October, witnessed the rampant and fierce innings of Abdur Razzaq where he stunned the SA team with 109 runs off 72 balls. Pakistan won by just one wicket with one ball remaining.
The target of 276 by SA seemed unachievable when Pakistan lost early wickets of Asad Shaif, Younus Khan, Misbah-ul-Haq and Mohammad Hafeez on just 70. This is where Fawad Alam (48) and Shahid Afridi (49) supported the team with a sensible partnership. Abdur Razzaq inherited a lost game when Fawad Alam was his only hope and after Alam's dismissal, he had the lower-order batsmen.
Razzaq started off patiently and strengthened Pakistan's position. His aggressive batting brought Pakistan back to the game. in 47th over, Razzaq launched 3 sixes and after that a series of boundaries brought Pakistan closer to the win. In last over, Pakistan required 15 runs where Razzaq stunned SA with 2 sixes and a four on the second last ball of the over. What a memorable innings by him!
The outrageous performance of Razzaq witnessed 10 sixes and 7 fours (strike rate 151.38)
Smart Stats:
* Abdul Razzaq's ten sixes in the innings moved him into joint third position among batsmen to hit the most sixes in an ODI innings behind Xavier Marshall (12), and Sanath Jayasuriya and Shahid Afridi (both 11).
* Razzaq finished with a strike rate of 151.38, which is the highest among 100-plus scores in ODIs against South Africa. The previous best was Matthew Hayden's 101 off 68 (strike rate 148.52).
* The 12 sixes in Pakistan's innings were the second highest number in an innings while chasing.
* This was the fifth occasion that Pakistan have won a match by one wicket. All five wins have come against a different opposition.
* This was the fourth highest total chased successfully against South Africa in ODIs and the tenth highest by Pakistan
* This was Razzaq's first 50-plus ODI score in more than four years, and his first century since September 2004.
Salute to the match-winner!
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