FAISALABAD: Quinton de Kock hit a brilliant century and Nandre Burger grabbed four wickets as South Africa thumped Pakistan by eight wickets in their second one-day international on Thursday.
Playing his second ODI after reversing his 2023 decision to retire from the format, the dashing De Kock smashed an unbeaten 123 to anchor a 270-run chase with 9.5 overs in spare at Iqbal Stadium in Faisalabad.
South African victory levelled the three-match series at 1-1 after Pakistan won the first match by two wickets. The third and final match is on Saturday, all in Faisalabad.
De Kock put on a solid 81 for the opening wicket with Lhuan-dre Pretorius (46), before compiling a 153-run stand for the second wicket with Tony de Zorzi, who scored an attractive 63-ball 76.
The left-handed trio took the attack to Pakistan's pace quartet, with De Kock knocking eight fours and seven sixes while Pretorius had seven boundaries and one maximum.
De Kock reached his 22nd ODI hundred with a couple off a luckless Mohammad Wasim, who saw Mohammad Nawaz drop the wicketkeeper-batter on 15.
De Zorzi sped up the scoring rate with three sixes and nine boundaries before he was caught off Faheem Ashraf with 36 needed.
Skipper Matthew Breetzke took the winning single, making 17 not out.
"I set myself high goals so I am happy to bat well today," said De Kock. "I think Nandre set us well with early wickets and then we batted well to chase that down."
Earlier, South African fast bowler Burger registered his best ODI figures of 4-46 to keep the home team down to 269-9.
The 30-year-old ripped out Pakistan's first three wickets in his opening three overs after the hosts won the toss and batted.
From 22-3, however, the hosts rebuilt the innings and half-centuries from opener Saim Ayub and Salman Agha, who added 92 for the fourth wicket, and later from Nawaz helped them to a fighting total.
Burger struck with his third delivery, having opener Fakhar Zaman caught behind by De Kock for a duck.
He then struck twice in his third over: crowd favourite Babar Azam was caught in the slips for 11 from the first ball and four balls later Mohammad Rizwan chopped on to his stumps for four.
Ayub hit 53 off 66 balls with a six and five fours, while Agha made a more docile 69 from 106 deliveries with five boundaries as the pair revived the innings.
Ayub hit his second ODI fifty before giving Corbin Bosch a return catch in the 25th over, while Agha was bowled by Bosch in the 41st.
Down the order, Nawaz blasted a run-a-ball 59 with four sixes and three fours while all-rounder Faheem made 28 as Pakistan plundered 90 runs in the final 10 overs.
"I think we put up a good total but did not bowl and field well," said Shaheen. "We will come back strongly."
