ISLAMABAD: South African bowlers managed to restrict Pakistan to 270 all out in a do-or-die contest being played in the ICC mega event at Chennai, India, on Friday. They took wickets with intervals and didn’t let Pakistani batters score freely. Pakistani batters Shadab Khan, Babar Azam, and Saud Shakil added some crucial runs to the innings; however, the repeated dismissal took the team all out in 46.4 overs.
Earlier winning the toss, Pakistan decided to bat first on a flat pitch, having a bit seem for both spinners and pacers. Taking the pressure of the match, both the openers, Abdullah Shafiq and Imam-ul-Haq, took a cautious start. However, in the fifth over, when the score reached 20, Abdullah Shafiq got out on the mid-wicket boundary while playing a short pitch ball to Jansen. Abdullah scored just 9 runs.
In his next over, Jansen removed the second opener, Imam-ul-Haq on 12, taking Pakistan under pressure. At the stage, Pakistan were 38 for 2 in 6.3 overs. After the dismissals of the openers, Muhammad Rizwan and Babar Azam took the innings ahead. Rizwan also made some aggression to keep Proteas bowlers under pressure and maintain the run rate above 5 and a half. He seemed in good knows, but in the 16th over, he was removed by Coetzee on 31.
Rizwan was replaced by Iftikhar and, after taking a steady start, accelerated his innings later, but in the 26th over, he was removed by Shamsi on 21 when the total reached 129. After Iftikhar and Rizwan, South African bowlers dominated once again.
Meanwhile, Babar Azam completed his half-century; however, again Pakistan suffered another blow in a crunch time when the skipper was removed by Shamsi on 50. At the stage, Pakistan was 141 for 5 in 27.5 overs. Babar was replaced by Shadab, who joined Saud Shakil on the crease.
Despite losing 5 wickets on 141 in the middle of the game and being under pressure, Shadab and Saud played in a slightly different strategy, and both started attacking against the Proteas bowlers. During their stay on the crease, they both scored over 7 runs per over and contributed 84 crucial runs for the team to take their side to a bit decent position. Shadab scored 43 on 36 balls, including 2 sixes and 3 boundaries, while smashed a half-century of 52 on 52 deliveries. However, once again, one after the other two batters got out on a crunch time that made the run rate a bit slower.
At the stage, Pakistan were 240 for 7 in 42.1 overs. Meanwhile, Muhammad Nawaz added some crucial runs along with the tail. In the 45th over, Shamsi got his 4th wicket while dismissing Shaheen Shah on just runs. Muhammad Nawaz tried to accelerate the inning but was removed by Jansen on 24, when the total reached 268 for 9 in 45.5 overs. Later, Pakistan were all out on 270 in 46.4 overs with 20 balls to spare.
From South Africa, Tabraiz Shamsi was the most successful bowler, taking 4 wickets while conceding 60 runs in his 10 over spill. Jansen got three wickets, Ngidi took one and Coetzee grabbed two wickets.
Pakistan Team
Abdullah Shafique, Imam-ul-Haq, Babar Azam (c), Mohammad Rizwan †, Iftikhar Ahmed, Saud Shakeel, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Mohammad Wasim and Haris Rauf
South Africa Team
Temba Bavuma (c), Quinton de Kock †, Rassie van der Dussen, Aiden Markram, Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller, Marco Jansen, Gerald Coetzee, Keshav Maharaj, Tabraiz Shamsi and Lungi Ngidi
