Pakistan put in a superb performance on Wednesday night to beat South Africa by 141 runs in the second MTN one-day international (ODI) at Kingsmead.
South Africa, chasing a total of 352 for victory in front of a capacity crowd, were all out for 210 after 40 overs and one ball.
Inzamam-ul-Haq won the toss, and ignoring a suggestion by South African captain Graeme Smith that teams from the sub-continent found it difficult to deal with the pace and bounce at Kingsmead, elected to bat first.
Although Pakistan lost a wicket in the first over, they went on to record their highest ODI score against South Africa, and their third highest ODI total.
The visitors went on the attack from the start, with a partnership of 79 between Imran Nazir and Younis Khan.
Once Nazir had gone, leg before wicket to Charl Langeveldt for 57, Younis joined up with Mohammad Yousuf to put on 125 for the third wicket.
Younis finally fell to Graeme Smith’s off-spin when he was caught on the boundary by Langeveldt for 93.
Inzamam faced 15 balls before he was run out by Gibbs for 13 — the 39th time in 372 ODIs that he has been dismissed this way.
Yousuf, the most prolific run scorer in world cricket in 2006, was joined by Shahid Afridi, holder of the world record for the fastest ODI century (37 balls) and they took the South Africa attack apart with a partnership of 129 — 120 of those runs coming off the last ten overs.
Afridi finished unbeaten on 77 off 35 balls, and Yousuf scored his 12th century, and was not out on a polished 101 off 110 balls. Pakistan finished their 50 overs on 351-4.
South Africa came out in a positive frame of mind, and Graeme Smith and AB de Villiers got off to a good start, but Smith fell in the seventh over, caught at second slip by Younis off Mohammad Asif for 15.
De Villiers and Jacques Kallis shared a partnership of 49, and at that stage, South Africa still appeared to be in with a chance, but De Villiers was caught by Younis off Abdul Razzaq for 43, and the wheels started coming off.
Gibbs, back in the side after his three-match ban, looked good, but was given out leg before to Asif for 14.
His wicket fell just as South Africa thought they had seen off Pakistan’s most dangerous bowler — Asif had just three balls to go of his ten overs.
Kallis fell six balls later when he was caught behind by Kamran Akmal off Razzaq for 34.
As if in sympathy with the plight of the Proteas, the lights went out one ball later, and Kingsmead was plunged into darkness.
The darkness — caused by a general power failure in the vicinity of Kingsmead — lasted about 35 minutes, and play was resumed before any overs were lost.
But Ashwell Prince was the victim of the break — he was caught in the slips by Younis off Azhar Mahmood’s first delivery, three balls after the resumption of play.
Mark Boucher was bowled by Afridi for 21, and South Africa were down to their last recognised batsmen — Justin Kemp and Shaun Pollock.
They put on 32 together, but any faint hopes South Africa had of victory flickered out when Kemp was caught by Shoaib Malik off his own bowling for 22.
Andre Nel tried valiantly, but was caught behind by Akmal off Afridi for five.
Makhaya Ntini made nine, and Langeveldt faced just one ball before Pollock was stumped by Akmal off Malik for 32, and South Africa were all out for 210. — Sapa