South Africa vs Pakistan, 5th ODI: De Kock knock helps Proteas clinch ODI series

Cape Town, January 31: Quinton de Kock's early onslaught helped South Africa cruise to a seven-wicket win over Pakistan in their one-day series decider at Newlands on Wednesday (January 30).

Wicketkeeper-batsman De Kock made 83 from just 58 deliveries as the Proteas upset the form guide in Cape Town, with 23 of the previous 29 ODI games at the venue seeing the chasing side defeated.

The hosts may well have had a tougher time in their bid to overhaul Pakistan's score of 240-8 in the fifth and final game had Usman Shinwari not overstepped when dismissing De Kock for 12.

Spared by a front-foot no-ball, the left-hander - who added 61 for the second wicket with Reeza Hendricks (34) - capitalised on the reprieve to produce a match-winning knock that included 11 fours and three sixes.

Shinwari finally got his man courtesy of a well-judged catch by substitute Hasan Ali, yet De Kock's departure with the score at 146-3 offered only brief respite for Pakistan's bowlers.

Skipper Faf du Plessis and Rassie van der Dussen put on an unbroken partnership worth 95 to ease South Africa over the line with 10 overs to spare, both men finishing unbeaten on 50 as the latter reached his milestone with a maximum down the ground that also sealed a comprehensive victory.

Excellent batting by @faf1307 & @Rassie72 to end with half-centuries as they secured a 7-wicket win for the Proteas in Cape Town. Congratulations boys on the 3-2 series victory!#ProteaFire #SAvPAK pic.twitter.com/foaZOf0PwF

— Cricket South Africa (@OfficialCSA) January 30, 2019

Perhaps surprisingly put into bat by their opponents considering recent history at the ground, Pakistan had appeared on course to post a more challenging target at 108-2 during the 21st over.

While Imam-ul-Haq fell cheaply, bounced out by Dale Steyn for eight, fellow opener Fakhar Zaman (70) combined with both Babar Azam (24) and Mohammad Hafeez (17) to put South Africa on the back foot.

Yet Andile Phehlukwayo turned the tide with two wickets, the all-rounder getting rid of Hafeez in his first over before the well-set Fakhar top-edged a pull shot towards Imran Tahir, who held on to the opportunity at fine leg despite stumbling back towards the boundary rope.

Stand-in captain Shoaib Malik, filling in for the suspended Sarfraz Ahmed, made 31 but his departure at the end of the 39th over left Pakistan on 174-6.

Imad Wasim produced a late flurry of boundaries, including hitting the only two sixes in the innings, to finish unbeaten on 47 from just 31 balls, yet the slump in the middle overs proved costly for Pakistan in the winner-takes-all showdown.

The teams will now switch their focus to Twenty20 cricket, with a three-match series getting underway on Friday (February 1) in Cape Town.