South Africa set Pakistan 275-run target in 4th ODI

DUBAI: South African captain Graeme Smith capped his return after suffering injury with a solid 92 to help his team reach 274-6 against Pakistan in the fourth day-night international here on Friday.

Smith missed his ninth one-day century by just eight runs after winning the toss and electing to bat, lifting South African innings with a 94-run stand with AB de Villiers (49) on a flat Duba Stadium pitch.

Smith, who injured his left hand during South Africa's eight wicket win in the first one-day in Abu Dhabi last week, hit nine boundaries during his 105-ball innings, before he was trapped leg-before in the 31st over.

De Villiers then took charge alongwith Jean-Paul Duminy (36) as South African added 84 in the last ten overs to post a challenging total in their bids to wrap up the series which they lead by 2-1.

Pakistan won the second match by one wicket in Abu Dhabi, while South Africa won the third match in Dubai by two wickets.

Paceman Wahab Riaz briefly put brakes on the South African innings by dismissing Duminy and David Miller (nought) off successive delveries but Colin Ingram (27 not out) and Johan Botha (28 not out) lifted their team in the last five overs.

The two added an invaluable 54 runs in the batting power-play.

It was Smith who gave South African innings the required pace, putting 35 for the first wicket with Hashim Amla (10) before Shoaib Akhtar removed Amla in the seventh over.

Smith paced the innings with three boundaries off Riaz in the 15 over before raising his 42nd half-century off 57 balls.

Smith was one of three changes in South African team, also boosted by the return of frontline pacemen Dale Steyn and Wayne Panell.