Play resumed in the Twenty20 match in Johannesburg with Pakistan struggling on 76-4 in the 12th over.
South Africa debutant Alfonso Thomas took a wicket with his first ball when AB de Villiers brilliantly held on to remove Imran Nazir in the second over.
Pakistan struggled to break free, despite a flicked six from Mohammad Hafeez, and lost three wickets for 12.
Hafeez chipped Shaun Pollock to cover, Kamran Akmal edged to a diving de Villiers and Younis Khan was run out.
South Africa went into the match with a record of one win from four Twenty20 internationals, while Pakistan beat England last year in their only such encounter.
Both teams rested players who featured in the recently concluded Test series, while the tourists were also without captain Inzamam-ul-Haq (back).
The ball swung and seamed around consistently and the Proteas looked razor sharp in the field to make things difficult for Pakistan.
De Villiers immediately showed his athleticism by moving quickly to his right to pouch the ball when Thomas found Nazir's edge.
Pakistan included several big-hitters in their line-up but there were few fireworks, apart from Hafeez's effort to dispatch a Thomas delivery over long-leg.
Thomas should have run out Akmal by yards as they struggled to find the boundaries.
Hafeez tried to up the pace but perished after mis-timing a big hit before de Villiers took another superb catch to remove Akmal off Johan van der Wath's first ball.
A direct hit from Robin Peterson, who swooped to hurl the ball in from gully, ended Younis' stay at the crease in the 10th over.
There was another blow when Afridi was hit in the nether region first ball by a delivery that Roger Telemachus jagged back sharply and retired hurt three deliveries later.
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