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Can Pakistan finish the job?

Some fine bowling and a typically accomplished innings from Mohammad Yousuf were enough to give Pakistan victory in the third match of the one-day series with South Africa and put them 2-1 up in the series. And with the momentum in their favour, the home



Shoaib Malik's side will be looking to clinch the series with victory on Friday © Getty Images

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Some fine bowling and a typically accomplished innings from Mohammad Yousuf were enough to give Pakistan victory in the third match of the one-day series with South Africa and put them 2-1 up in the series. And with the momentum in their favour, the home side will hope to wrap up the series win by taking the fourth match in Multan on Friday.

Click here to bet on Pakistan v South Africa at bet365

Bet365 make it a tight affair, with Pakistan 10/11 (1.91) and South Africa narrow favourites at 4/5.

Though they have won two of the four matches to be played there, Pakistan have lost the past two and the pitch seems to offer something for the bowlers, which could help the home side just as much as South Africa.

Shahid Afridi bowled very well against them on Monday and South Africa will have to find a way to score off him and the other Pakistan bowlers in the middle overs, where they have struggled in the past two games.

When Yousuf bats well, Pakistan invariably win, so it's no surprise to see him at the top of the betting to be his side's leading runscorer, at 3/1. Younis Khan is 7/2 and Imran Nazir 9/2 while Shoaib Malik, Mohammad Hafeez and Yasir Hammed are all 5/1.

Salman Butt is 11/2 and Afridi, who opened in place of Kamran Akmal on Sunday, is 13/2 while Akmal himself is 11/1 batting down the order.

Jacques Kallis, who dominated the Test series, has now failed in all three games and consequently is no longer the outright favourite to be his side's top runscorer. He now shares that honour with his captain Graeme Smith, who are both 7/2.

AB De Villiers and Herschelle Gibbs are both 4/1, Jean-Paul Duminy is 13/2, Justin Kemp 7/1 and Mark Boucher 8/1 with Albie Morkel dangerous down the order at 16/1.

Pakistan are even money to have the better opening partnership. With Afridi at the top of the order, you never know what you're going to get but if he fires, then they will score runs, and fast, so take them to outscore South Africa in that department.

Please note that odds are correct at time of publication and are subject to change.

Simon Cambers is Cricinfo's betting correspondent