JOHANNESBURG: South Africa completed their 3-0 clean sweep after attaining victory over Pakistan on the fourth day at Johannesburg.
Despite a doughty first-wicket stand of 67 between Shan Masood and Imam-ul-Haq, and another pair of combative knocks from Babar Azam and, especially, Asad Shafiq, Pakistan were unable to tackle the Proteas pace attack once again in this test series.
As the play of the fourth day commenced at Pakistan 153/3, Duanne Olivier made the early inroads, taking his match tally to 8 for 125, before Kagiso Rabada scythed through the tail to help confirm a 3-0 series whitewash.
Pakistan did manage to breach the 200-mark for the only the second time in six innings, but that was small consolation as they fell to another heavy defeat.
Veteran right-handed batsman Asad Shafiq remained top scorer with 65 from 71, though little to suggest the tourists ever harboured serious hopes of chasing 381 for a consolation victory.
Overall in the series, Babar Azam was the only player who left mark on South Africa, but he could do little about the Olivier throat ball he received in the third over of the morning that flicked the bottom glove on its way through.
Pakistan Skipper Sarfraz Ahmed, in a surprising state of events, went back to the pavilion without bothering the scoreline on the very first ball.
Shadab demonstrated a correct technique and some enterprising strokes, hitting seven fours to move within sight of a fourth Test fifty.
However, having added 31 for the last wicket with Mohammad Abbas, forcing the lunch interval to be pushed back, an impetuous call by the No. 11 ended Pakistan’s resistance via a run-out.