Rizwan's verbal argument with Klaasen [Source: @PCTReplays/X]
Pakistan's white-ball captain Mohammad Rizwan lost his cool and argued with South Africa's Heinrich Klaasen during the second ODI between the two sides on Thursday evening. Under his leadership, Pakistan exhibited commendable skills and resilience to stun the Proteas with an emphatic 81-run victory in the penultimate affair to bag the series.
However, apart from the cricketing excellence from both sides, one thing that caught attention of masses was an ugly verbal spat between Mohammad Rizwan and Heinrich Klaasen. The incident occurred during the 26th over of South Africa's innings when the game was in hanging in the balance, with the hosts still needing 191 runs to win the match.
Pakistan's ace speedster Haris Rauf bowled a sharp short ball to conclude the over, and Klaasen let the ball go to the wicketkeeper. However, Rauf's bouncer agitated the batter, as he had a tensed verbal altercation with the seamer.
As Klaasen lost his cool, Rizwan came to intervene in the situation, asking the South African to focus on game rather than complaining the umpire about the visitors' repeated short ball ploy.
The situation escalated immediately, with both parties sticking to their respective stance. However, the umpire and senior Pakistani cricketer Babar Azam came to resolve the matter. As a result, the situation came under control and the proceedings resumed following a brief interruption.
Pakistan Crush South Africa To Bag ODI Series
Regarding the match, Pakistan swatted aside South Africa by 81 runs to take an unassailable two-nil lead in the three-match series. Batting first, the visitors posted 329 runs on the board before dismantling the Proteas for 248 runs in 43.1 overs. Klaasen played another impactful knock, scoring 97 runs off just 74 deliveries.