Proteas captain Temba Bavuma has applauded Fakhar Zaman’s incredible knock at the Wanderers this past Sunday, describing it as the best he’s seen.

Despite posting a mammoth 341-6 in the allotted 50 overs, the South Africans were pushed to the wire in the annual Pink Day, thanks to heroics by Zaman, who struck a record-breaking 193 from 155 deliveries.

Ultimately, it wasn’t enough as Pakistan fell 17 runs short of their required target, but the opener’s innings provided enormous entertainment for cricket fans around the world, including Bavuma, who had to rally his troops against the batting onslaught.

READ: Zaman heroics not enough for Pakistan as Proteas clinch victory

‘He played an incredible innings, it’s the best that I’ve seen,’ Bavuma said at the end of play.

‘To chase 340 single-handedly was always going to be a tough ask. We kind of knew that we weren’t too far from winning the game. From speaking to the bowlers, it was a matter of being clear about what our plans were, and then it became a matter of execution.’

Bavuma himself came close to reaching three figures earlier in the day as the Proteas batted first. The right-hander kicked the Proteas’ innings into gear, sharing in a 114-run partnership with Quinton de Kock.

Bavuma would eventually fall for 92 before Rassie van der Dussen and David Miller contributed quick-fire half-centuries of their own.

‘I found it quite hard for any kind of strokeplay,’ Bavuma added about the Johannesburg conditions.

‘Batting with Quinny, the focus was just on getting any kind of partnership. We just wanted to spend time at the crease, with the belief that it would get easier, but I don’t think it did get easier, we just got accustomed to the wicket.’