Quinton de Kock’s masterful unbeaten 123 powered South Africa to a comprehensive eight-wicket victory over Pakistan in the second One-day International at Iqbal Stadium in Faisalabad on Thursday, levelling the three-match series 1-1 with a chase completed in just 40.1 overs.

Chasing 270, South Africa openers Lhuan-dre Pretorius and de Kock made a confident start, adding 81 in 11.5 overs. Pretorius, dropped by Mohammad Nawaz at deep square, raced to 46 off 40 balls with seven fours and a six before edging Mohammad Wasim to Rizwan. De Kock reached his fifty off 55 balls and accelerated seamlessly.

De Kock anchored with poise and power for his 22nd ODI century, and Tony de Zorzi, whose aggressive 76 off 63 balls formed a match-winning 153-run partnership for the second wicket with the former after Pretorius had set the tone with 46.

De Zorzi shifted gears immediately upon arrival, smashing two sixes off Nawaz in the 23rd over. He fell in the 35th over after hitting nine fours and three sixes — chipping a leading edge to point off Faheem Ashraf.

De Kock brought up his hundred off 99 balls with a flick to midwicket, punishing loose deliveries with sixes off Faheem and Shaheen.

With captain Matthew Breetzke in support, he sealed the chase in the 41st over, guiding spinner Saim Ayub to backward point for the winning single —South Africa’s joint-biggest win over Pakistan in Pakistan by wickets.

Earlier, Pakistan, electing to bat first under clear skies, staged a remarkable lower-order recovery to post 269 for 9 after a top-order collapse triggered by pacer Nandre Burger threatened to derail their innings.

Standout performances came from Saim, who anchored the early recovery with a composed 53, and Salman Ali Agha, whose patient 69 formed the backbone of the middle order before Nawaz delivered a match-turning 59, blending responsibility with aggression, while Faheem’s brisk 28 injected crucial momentum in the death overs.

The hosts suffered an early jolt when opener Fakhar Zaman gloved a sharp Burger bouncer to wicket-keeper de Kock for a three-ball duck. Babar Azam fell for 11, edging Burger to first slip, and Mohammad Rizwan lasted just four balls before being bowled for four. At 22 for 3 in the fifth over, Pakistan were reeling.

Saim and Salman steadied the ship with a 92-run stand for the fourth wicket. Saim played with composure for his 53 off 66 balls, including five fours and a six, before getting caught and bowled by pacer Corbin Bosch.

Salman anchored meanwhile, finding five boundaries before being yorked by Bosch in the 41st over.

Hussain Talat’s brief 10 ended caught off Nqabayomzi Peter’s leg-spin, leaving Pakistan at 131 for 5. Nawaz then turned the tide with a belligerent 59 off 59 balls — three fours and four sixes — lifting the scoring rate against the spinners. Faheem chipped in with two sixes and as many fours, before falling to Burger.

The tail added 90 runs in the last 10 overs, with Nawaz’s late assault. Burger was the pick of the bowlers with 4-46, while Bosch took 2-58 and Peter 3-55.

The series decider will be played at the same venue on Saturday.