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The Proteas became the first team to dismiss a batsmen obstructing the field under the new rules.
Hafeez's body blocked a throw by South Africa wicketkeeper AB de Villiers as the batsman ran to the non-striker's end in the fourth ODI at Kingsmead. Hafeez was judged to have changed the course of his run to prevent a run out and was given out according to a rule introduced by the International Cricket Council in 2011.
Hafeez, yet to score, angrily ripped off his gloves when the decision was made by TV umpire Billy Bowden after an appeal by the South Africans.
Previously, batsmen were allowed to change their course as they ran between ends to put themselves between a throw and the stumps, but that was outlawed two years ago.
The opener was the first batsman in international cricket to be dismissed under the new rule, the espncricinfo website said, and just the fifth in the history of test and one-day internationals to be given out under the general obstructing the field law.
England's Len Hutton was out obstructing the field during a test against South Africa in 1951, still the only test cricketer to be dismissed in that way.
Two other Pakistan players, Rameez Raja and Inzamam-ul-Haq, and India's Mohinder Amarnath are the only other players to go for obstructing the field in ODIs. The last before Hafeez on Thursday was Inzamam in 2006 when he used his bat to block a throw from India fielder Suresh Raina while standing out of his crease.
