De Kock's Ton Powers SA to 8-Wicket Win Over Pakistan, Series Level 1-1.

De Kock's Ton Powers SA to 8-Wicket Win Over Pakistan, Series Level 1-1.

Pakistan vs South Africa 2nd ODI: Quinton de Kock's Masterclass Powers Proteas to Dominant 8-Wicket Win, Series Levelled 1-1.

                    In a thrilling encounter at the Iqbal Stadium in Faisalabad on November 6, 2025, South Africa delivered a clinical all-round performance to thrash Pakistan by 8 wickets, chasing down 270 with 59 balls to spare.

            Quinton de Kock, marking his return to ODI cricket with authority, smashed an unbeaten 123 off 119 balls—his 22nd ODI century—while Tony de Zorzi contributed a fluent 76. The victory levelled the three-match series 1-1, setting up a mouthwatering decider on November 8 at the same venue.

This was South Africa's second-highest successful chase against Pakistan in ODIs, only behind their 271-run pursuit in the 2023 World Cup. The Proteas also hit a record 11 sixes in the innings against Pakistan, showcasing their aggressive intent under stand-in captain Matthew Breetzke.

Match Summary
Toss: Pakistan won and elected to bat first.
Pakistan Innings: 269/9 in 50 overs (Salman Ali Agha 69, Mohammad Nawaz 59, Saim Ayub 53; Nandre Burger 4-46, Nqabayomzi Peter 3-55).
South Africa Innings: 270/2 in 40.1 overs (Quinton de Kock 123*, Tony de Zorzi 76, Lhuan-dre Pretorius 46; Faheem Ashraf 1-40).
Player of the Match: Quinton de Kock (SA) for his unbeaten 123.
Result: South Africa won by 8 wickets.

The day-night match, played under lights at a venue hosting international cricket after 17 years, saw Pakistan struggle with consistency despite resilient partnerships, while South Africa's bowlers and fielders turned the screw early before their batsmen cruised home.

Pakistan's Innings: Fightback After Early Collapse Fizzles Out

Pakistan captain Shaheen Shah Afridi won yet another toss—South Africa's seventh consecutive loss on tour—and opted to bat, aiming to post a competitive total on a surface expected to ease under dew. However, the decision backfired spectacularly in the powerplay as Nandre Burger, the left-arm pacer, ran riot.

Burger, introduced early, swung the new ball prodigiously and dismantled Pakistan's top order. Fakhar Zaman edged to slip for a duck, Saim Ayub was bowled for a fighting 53 later, but the big blow was Babar Azam's dismissal—caught brilliantly by Donovan Ferreira at backward point off a leading edge for just 12. A stunning one-handed diving catch by Ferreira became the talking point, highlighting South Africa's exceptional fielding.

At 22/3 in the fifth over, Pakistan were reeling. Mohammad Rizwan (wk) and Salman Ali Agha steadied the ship with a 92-run partnership, but both batted cautiously—Agha's 69 off 106 balls at a strike rate of 65.09 exemplified the sluggish approach. Rizwan fell for a low score, and Hussain Talat followed soon after.

Enter Mohammad Nawaz, who injected life with a career-best 59 off 48 balls, including late sixes off Nqabayomzi Peter. His partnerships with Agha and the lower order pushed Pakistan past 250. Naseem Shah's last-over six off Burger ensured 269/9, but dropped catches and slow scoring meant it was always under par on a dew-assisted pitch.

Burger's 4-46 were career-best figures, while leg-spinner Peter claimed 3-55 with clever variations. Corbin Bosch supported with two wickets, including a sharp return catch to dismiss Ayub.

South Africa's Chase: De Kock and De Zorzi Dismantle Pakistan

Chasing 270, South Africa's left-handed openers Lhuan-dre Pretorius and Quinton de Kock set a blistering pace. Pretorius, the young debutant sensation, hammered three boundaries off Naseem Shah in the second over, racing to 46 off 40 balls. The pair added 81 in quick time before Pretorius nicked Mohammad Wasim to the keeper.

De Kock, unfazed, shifted gears seamlessly. He rebuilt with Tony de Zorzi in a 153-run second-wicket stand that broke Pakistan's spirit. De Zorzi, dropped early, punished loose balls for 76 off 63, while de Kock mixed caution with brutality—his fifty came with a six off Faheem Ashraf.

Pakistan burned reviews desperately on de Kock (twice pitching outside leg), and their eight bowlers couldn't stem the flow. De Zorzi fell to Ashraf for 76, caught at point off a leading edge, but by then the game was gone. De Kock reached his hundred with a flick for two off Wasim—quiet celebration, just a bat raise—and finished unbeaten on 123 (119 balls, with boundaries and sixes galore).

Stand-in captain Matthew Breetzke (17*) sealed the win with a single in the 41st over, as South Africa hit 11 sixes—the most against Pakistan in an ODI innings.

Key Performances and Turning Points
Nandre Burger's Spell: His early wickets set the tone, making him "not really nice to face" as per Breetzke.

Donovan Ferreira's Catch: The acrobatic effort to dismiss Babar Azam shifted momentum irreversibly.

De Kock-De Zorzi Partnership: 153 runs off 137 balls—second-highest for SA vs PAK in Pakistan.

Dropped Catches Cost Pakistan: Multiple reprieves, including de Zorzi, proved fatal.
Dew Factor: Eased batting in the second innings, aiding SA's fluent chase.

Post-Match Reactions

South Africa captain Matthew Breetzke was elated: "Yeah, clinical. All-round. I think it started with Nandre Burger up front there, he was really special today. And then, with the bat, Quinny and Lhu up front and then Tony coming off there, playing a really good innings, it was nice to watch.

(On Ferreira's catch to dismiss Babar Azam and South Africa's fielding) Exceptional. We take pride in our fielding as South Africans. We know that fielding changes the game. And we save quite a lot of runs out there. So, I'm very happy with the boys. Nandre is one of those guys, when he's on, he's not really nice to face. So, he's a special bowler. So, I hope he can come in the third game and do the exact same. (On the final ODI) That's going to come down to playing the conditions in that third game. We're not sure what we're going to get. Hopefully, we're going to win a toss. Hopefully, we can come out on top."

Pakistan skipper Shaheen Afridi admitted: "It's a little bit tough, but I think Saim and Agha did very well and their partnership helped us a little bit. Three wickets early and then 270, I think that was a good score. Unfortunately, the drop catches cost us. If you win always, then you can't see what's going on around you. But I think we will come back strongly. We will come back strongly."

De Kock, Player of the Match, said: "We played really nicely today."

Scorecard
Pakistan Innings (269/9, 50 overs)

BatterRunsBalls4s6sSRDismissalFakhar Zaman 0 5 0 0 0.00 c Qeshile b Burger
Saim Ayub 53 66 7 1 80.30 c & b Bosch
Babar Azam 12 15 2 0 80.00 c Ferreira b Bosch
Mohammad Rizwan (wk) 20 30 2 0 66.66 c Pretorius b Peter
Salman Ali Agha 69 106 6 0 65.09 c de Zorzi b Peter
Hussain Talat 15 20 1 0 75.00 c&b Peter
Mohammad Nawaz 59 48 4 3 122.91 c Linde b Burger
Faheem Ashraf 10 12 1 0 83.33 b Burger
Shaheen Afridi (c) 5 8 0 0 62.50 c Pretorius b Burger
Mohammad Wasim Jr 8 5 1 0 160.00 not out
Naseem Shah 12 5 0 1 240.00 not out

Extras: 16 (b 4, lb 5, w 7) Fall of Wickets: 1-0, 2-22, 3-22, 4-114, 5-150, 6-220, 7-234, 8-244, 9-250 Bowling: Burger 10-1-46-4, Fortuin 10-0-45-0, Bosch 10-0-58-2, Peter 10-0-55-3, Linde 10-0-56-0.
South Africa Innings (270/2, 40.1 overs)

BatterRunsBalls4s6sSRDismissalLhuan-dre Pretorius 46 40 7 1 115.00 c Rizwan b Wasim
Quinton de Kock (wk) 123* 119 10 4 103.36 not out
Tony de Zorzi 76 63 9 2 120.63 c Ayub b Ashraf
Matthew Breetzke (c) 17* 21 1 0 80.95 not out

Extras: 8 (lb 4, w 4) Fall of Wickets: 1-81, 2-234 Bowling: Naseem 6-0-45-0, Shaheen 8-0-52-0, Wasim 7-0-48-1, Nawaz 8-0-45-0, Ashraf 5.1-0-40-1, Abrar 6-0-36-0, Talat 4-0-25-0, Agha 2-0-15-0.

Match Info
Venue: Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad
Date: November 6, 2025 (D/N)
Umpires: Ahsan Raza (PAK), Alex Wharf (ENG); Third: Sharfuddoula Saikat (BAN)
Series: South Africa tour of Pakistan 2025/26 – 3 ODIs
Previous: Pakistan won 1st ODI by 2 wickets
Next: Decider on November 8, 2025, at Iqbal Stadium.

Team Info

Pakistan Playing XI: Fakhar Zaman, Saim Ayub, Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Salman Ali Agha, Hussain Talat, Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Shah Afridi (c), Mohammad Wasim Jr, Naseem Shah.

South Africa Playing XI: Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Quinton de Kock (wk), Tony de Zorzi, Matthew Breetzke (c), Sinethemba Qeshile, Donovan Ferreira, George Linde, Corbin Bosch, Bjorn Fortuin, Nandre Burger, Nqabayomzi Peter.

Commentary Highlights

The match swung decisively in the powerplay. Burger's spell: Over 1.2 – Babar Azam review upheld, out caught behind-ish. Pakistan reviews wasted on close calls. Ayub's fifty brought hope, but Bosch's return catch ended it.

In the chase: Pretorius blazed away, de Kock anchored then exploded. Key over: De Kock six off Ashraf for fifty. De Zorzi's drop proved costly. Final over not needed—Breetzke's single sealed it amid cheers.

Analysis: What Went Wrong for Pakistan?

Pakistan's batting lacked intent—strike rates below 100 in the middle overs allowed SA to control. Dropped catches (de Zorzi twice) and poor reviews highlighted sloppiness. Bowling lacked penetration post-powerplay; dew didn't help, but eight options showed desperation.

For South Africa, changes (Burger, Peter) paid off. Fielding pride shone, and de Kock's experience was class apart. Breetzke's leadership calm.
Road to the Decider

With the series tied, the third ODI on Saturday promises fireworks. Pakistan need to address batting tempo and fielding; South Africa hope to finally win a toss. Faisalabad has delivered drama—expect more!