South Africa vs Pakistan Second ODI: Best Bets & Prediction

Match: South Africa vs Pakistan 2nd ODI
When: Thursday, 19 December 2024, 14:00am SAST
Where: Newlands Cricket Ground

Let’s look at the best bets to take for the second ODI at Newlands.

Betting Preview

South Africa started strong with a 70-run opening stand but collapsed to 88/4 within four overs, all falling to part-time off-spinner Agha Salman. Key batters Tony de Zorzi, Ryan Rickleton, and Aiden Markram wasted their starts, leaving Heinrich Klaasen to anchor the innings with a crucial 86. Klaasen’s dismissal in the 45th over curtailed their momentum, with South Africa finishing on 239—a competitive score but one they could have pushed further.

The Proteas bowlers were economical, with pacers taking five of the seven wickets. Aiden Markram bowled tidy overs but lacked the magic Salman had in removing the set left-hander. Despite a strong effort, South Africa narrowly lost in the final over.

Pakistan will be thrilled with their approach. Their reliance on part-time bowlers paid off, with Salman bowling a full ten overs and Saim Ayub chipping in with a wicket across seven tidy overs. While this strategy thrived in Paarl, conditions in Cape Town and Johannesburg might test its limits.

Ayub continues to impress, building on recent successes. After a string of fifties in Tests and a maiden ODI ton against Zimbabwe, he followed it up here with another brilliant hundred, showcasing his class. Salman’s steady fifth ODI fifty also steadied the chase. However, low contributions from the rest of the batting lineup remain a concern for Pakistan.

The first ODi showed just how evenly matched these two sides are. With the Proteas slight favourites at 1.66, back them to win in Cape Town and level the series.

Players to Watch

Abrar Ahmed’s first six international games were Tests. He made his T20I debut earlier this year, but a vicious pasting on the Multan road by England could have left him in the dust. Instead, he got his ODI call-up in Zimbabwe and took six wickets in two games. His form has continued into the T20Is and this tour of South Africa. It’s a nice mini comeback for the spinner.

Tristan Stubbs has had a big 2024. In addition to his known T20 prowess, he’s gotten Test hundreds in Bangladesh and at home and a maiden ODI hundred versus Ireland in Sharjah. Still, it’s early days for him in the ODI format and he’ll want to get a landmark hundred at home against stronger opposition. On batting-friendly decks, he could be a menace.

Key Stats

South Africa have a 52-31 record against Pakistan in ODIs.

Five of the last seven Cape Town ODIs were won by the team that batted first.

This is the first calendar year since his debut year in 2015 that Babar Azam hasn’t hit an international hundred. The highest he has managed across formats is 75.

Heinrich Klaasen has only played one of his 55 ODIs in Cape Town: his debut, where he made just six off 12 balls against India in 2018.

Shaheen Shah Afridi vs Heinrich Klaasen in ODIs: 20 runs off 16 balls, two dismissals.

Agha Salman’s 4-32 was his career-best figures across international formats.

Haris Rauf has taken nine wickets in five games against South Africa, averaging 30.55.

Best Bets

Prediction: South Africa to win at 1.66.
Best Bet: Highest individual score to be over 96.5 at 1.86.
Value Bet: Tristan Stubbs to be South Africa’s top batter at 5.50.