Pakistan 335 for 6 (Elahi 135, Razzaq 112) beat South Africa 153 by 182 runs
Scorecard

Pakistan squared the best-of-five one-day series with an emphatic 182-run victory in the second match at Port Elizabeth. The platform for the win was laid by an outstanding display of hitting from Abdul Razzaq and Salim Elahi, who both scored hundreds, and South Africa's batsmen proved not to have the stomach to launch a serious assault on a daunting target.

It was an important toss to win and the side batting first were always going to have an advantage on an almost perfect wicket. Even by the standards of a Pakistan side which can fluctuate between the ridiculous and sublime on a daily basis, this performance could not have been more of a contrast to their abject exhibition in the first game of the series.

The stars of the show were Razzaq (whose hundred was his first in an ODI) and Elahi, who added a record-breaking second-wicket partnership of 257 to completely deflate a South African side buoyed by recent one-day successes against Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. The stand was the sixth highest in one-day international history, and never have South Africa conceded a higher score in an ODI.

Elahi and Razzaq had come together after a typically woolly opening effort from Shahid Afridi. Recalled at the expense of Taufeeq Umar, Afridi smacked three fours in his first seven balls, but skied his eighth to Herschelle Gibbs in the covers. No more wickets came South Africa's way for another 40 overs, when Razzaq chipped a low full-toss from Lance Klusener to Makhaya Ntini at mid-on (272 for 2).

Elahi brought up his century in 94 balls, with a deft flick off the pads that was in stark contrast to the majority of his 19 fours. Never afraid to use his feet, he danced around the crease, crashing through the covers and over midwicket with a scything blade. He gave one chance, when he carved Allan Donald to Lance Klusener on the third man boundary, but it was something of a surprise when he also fell to a full toss, this time from Jacques Kallis.

None of South Africa's bowlers escaped the onslaught. Every one of the frontline seamers conceded 60 runs, while Nicky Boje's six overs of spin disappeared for 45 runs. Donald, however, enjoyed a brief flurry when he removed Younis Khan and Wasim Akram with successive deliveries in the final over. By that stage, however, Inzamam-ul-Haq had helped himself to 36 not out from 22 balls. It was a joyous display from start to finish.

South Africa's innings was very much a case of after the Lord Mayor's show. Gibbs briefly threatened to take up the challenge, but when his breezy 30-ball 40 was ended by a superb straight ball from Waqar Younis (57 for 1) their innings fell apart in a manner which would have done Bangladesh proud.

Graeme Smith was reprieved in the next over when Inzamam's low catch at first slip off Wasim Akram was invalidated by the no-ball shout, but it mattered little as six balls later he chopped Waqar into his leg stump for 18 (61 for 2)

Wasim gave way to Mohammad Sami, and with Waqar he shared six wickets as South Africa crumbled to 100 for 6. The highly vocal crowd had long since begun to drift home by the time Shahid Afridi and Saqlain Mushtaq ended the slaughter.

After a string of facile victories South Africa now face real opposition with which they can test their World Cup potential. They will have to up their performance several notches if they are to avoid being swept away by a resurgent Pakistan side.

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