Faf du Plessis' men reasserted dominance at Cape Town against another visiting side and won the second Test by nine wickets to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series versus Pakistan, leaving their skipper absolutely delighted with the overall performance and the win. 

The Proteas carried forward the advantage taken in the form of 244-run lead in the first innings as a response to visitors' 177 all out. Outdoing opponent's gritty batting effort in the third innings of 294 and eventually setting up an easy 41 runs target, which the home side took only 9.5 overs in the morning on Day 4 to overcome and finished off the proceedings with the bat. 

"Finally got a hundred at my favourite ground," said Du Plessis, who got awarded the Man-of-the-Match for his 103 in the first innings, at the post-match presentation on Sunday, January 7, "(It is an) amazing place to play cricket, with the mountains around and the crowd is amazing as well. I have wanted it (the hundred) for a while. It was a grafty hundred."

"It's a lot of fun for us coming here (Newlands). We beat the big teams that have come here, all of them have come with good bowling attacks."

While Pakistan head coach Mickey Arthur termed the surface used at the iconic venue as "not good enough for Test match cricket", Faf reaffirmed that the pitch there required enhanced concentration and rewarded every batter with good pace and bounce to play their shots once in. 

"There was enough in it for everyone. At times it was difficult, but that's Test cricket. Playing a subcontinental team on a pitch that has picked up pace over the last two years, it was an easy call to make that we wanted four seamers. I felt I batted the best in the last year. For me, it was a true test of my character and I am happy I managed to do well," he signed off. 

(Inputs from AFP)