Lanky pacer Andre Nel registered best figures of 4-39 to lead South Africa to a series levelling six-wicket win over Pakistan in the fourth day-night limited overs international at Pindi stadium here on Friday.
Nels effort reduced Pakistan to their second lowest score of 157 in 47,4 overs in seven months and allowed the tourists to restore parity in the five-match series. South Africa racked up 158-4 in 38,5 overs to set up an intriguing series decider on Sunday at the same venue.
Pakistan won the first two matches by eight and 42 runs respectively both in Lahore while South Africa pulled off a 13-run win in the third at Faisalabad. Chasing just over three an over, Kallis put up 42 for the second wicket with Herschelle Gibbs, who made 41, and 43 for the third wicket with Jacques Rudolph, who made 20.
Pakistan, playing without skipper Inzamam-ul Haq for the second match running due to a hamstring problem, looked a scattered side in all departments of the game and failed to defend a low total after getting South African captain Graeme Smith for 13 in the eighth over.
Kallis finished with 58 not out, which came off 87 balls including four bundaries and two sixes. Nel, who missed the first two games due to injury, improved his
previous best of 3-20 against the West Indies at Port of Spain in 2000-01 and was ably supported by Makhaya Ntini who took 3-25 and new ball partner Shaun Pollock who finished with 1-9 in his 10 miserly overs.
Pollock conceded just two runs from his first six overs with Nel taking wickets at the other end as Pakistan struggled right from the word go after winning the toss and electing to bat.
Pakistan was forced to leave out unfit Abdul Razzaq and dropped Saqlain Mushtaq and Umer Gul while the tourists were unchanged from their side that won the third match at Faisalabad on Tuesday.
A muscular 26-year-old from Transvaal, Nel removed opener Mohammad Hafeez caught behind for 1 in his third over and in the next over had one-drop Faisal Iqbal caught in the slip for nought to leave the home team at 16-2.
Youhana and Hameed added a fighting 43 for the second wicket before Hameed edged Andrew Hall to Boucher after making a 51-ball 30 with three boundaries.
Nel, sent home from the South Africa A tour of Australia earlier this year after being stopped by police and found to be driving under the influence of alcohol, returned for his second spell to dismiss Younis Khan caught by Boucher who held a beautiful low diving catch to his left.
In his next over Nel captured the prized wicket of Youhana who miscued a drive and was caught at mid-wicket by Pollock for 60 which came off 75 balls with two boundaries and two well-timed
sixes.
Makhaya Ntini then removed Shoaib Malik and Shoaib Akhtar in the
36th over to leave Pakistan tottering at 122-8. Rashid Latif and number ten Mohammad Sami fought hard during their ninth wicket stand to get Pakistan to 150 before Kallis bowled Latif for 18. – Sapa-AFP