Pakistan nails first series win over Proteas

Pakistan held on for a thrilling one-run win in the second one-day international on Wednesday to beat South Africa in an ODI series for the first time, making its short-notice tour a historic one. Pakistan defended its 262 in a rain-shortened 45-over game by the smallest of margins as South Africa fell just short of the nine runs it needed off the last over at St. George's Park to take the three-game series to a decider. Pakistan has the chance to be the first team ever to whitewash South Africa at home in an ODI contest in the final game. A century partnership between Hashim Amla (98) and AB de Villiers (74) took South Africa to the brink of victory, but Amla's wicket fell off the last ball of the penultimate over. Junaid Khan took 3-42 for the victorious tourists, who just held on under intense pressure. Earlier, Ahmed Shehzad's 102 set up victory for Pakistan, while Dale Steyn's career-best 6-39 was part of a losing effort for South Africa as the world's leading team in test cricket continued to struggle for consistency in ODIs. Following a 4-1 drubbing by the South Africans in United Arab Emirates at the start of the month, Pakistan turned the tables dramatically weeks later to send South Africa to its first one-day series defeat at home in over two years. PORT ELIZABETH-NAMPA/AP