Pakistan stun South Africa to keep hopes flickering
Pakistan's pace attack found their range and Sarfraz Ahmed brought
adhesive wicketkeeping gloves as they secured a 29-run victory against
South Africa in their World Cup match with potentially match-ending rain
starting to fall.
It breathed as much life into the Pakistan campaign as the rain from
the Waitakere Ranges delivered to the wicket for the second innings.
|
Pakistan opener Sarfraz Ahmed pulls during his run-a-ball 49
runs. Ahmed involved in six caught behind dismissals to earn
the man-of-the-match award. |
The win leaves South Africa and Pakistan second-equal on six points
in pool B with the Proteas ahead on run rate. However they were stunned
by the venomous display of Wahab Riaz, Rahat Ali and Mohammad Irfan
which knocked a batting line-up of formidable pedigree off its axis.
Man-of-the match Sarfraz did the rest, equaling the world record for
glovemen with six catches in the 29-run win via Duckworth-Lewis Method.
The key period came when Wahab and Rahat were operating from the 10th
to the 16th overs which included three wicket maidens. South Africa
slumped from 67 for one to 81 for five.
Pakistan broke what has become a spell at the venue.
The previous 10 day-nighters have resulted in one win, eight losses
and a tie for the team batting first.
They completed the task after posting just 222 in 46.4 overs. South
Africa were chasing 232 to win after the D-L method was applied after
the weather interruptions. So much for speculation 400 would be
breached.
As one of the pre-tournament favourites, South Africa have bullied
the West Indies (408-5), Ireland (411-4) and Zimbabwe (339-4) with
fantastical totals. However, they've failed to chase successfully
against India and Pakistan despite a line-up capable of meeting most
run-rate demands.
AB de Villiers kept the chase together. The South African captain
came to the wicket amid a collapse at 67 for three in the 11th over.
He eluded dismissal when a top edge ballooned over mid-wicket on 36,
but it would be churlish to allow that moment to detract from a top
display guiding his team within touching distance of victory.
It took Sarfraz's fifth catch to dismiss him as he attempted to swing
Sohail Khan through the legside. De Villiers’ ability to resurrect the
innings was a credit. The damage looked irreparable when J-P Duminy top
edged to Wahab at long leg off Irfan, leaving them 102 for six in the
20th over.
The South African skipper won the toss and fielded as a grey cloak
crept in from the west. Rain streamed during the 37th over with Pakistan
175 for five.
The players exited for a second time at 197 for five after 40.1
overs.Call it the wisdom from ghosts past, like South Africa's demise at
the 1992 and 2003 World Cups, but de Villiers’ decision held merit on
the basis his side had a reliable chart to navigate by.
That was thwarted by the Pakistan's mojo. Their batsmen broke into
the odd flurry of batting attack but South Africa always had the
capacity to engineer a dismissal.Dale Steyn (10-3-30-3) and Morne Morkel
(9.4-0-25-2) were the key protagonists, used to create batting
straitjackets across four spells each.Sarfraz returned to open,
replacing Nasir Jamshed.
He reached 49 at a run-a-ball but, after unleashing three
agricultural sixes through deep mid-wicket, was run out by David Miller
seeking two behind square leg.
Younis Khan also got set but offered a leading edge from a de
Villiers dibbly-dobbly.
A single to mid-on morphed into a catch for Rilee Rossouw at cover
for 37 off 44 balls.
Misbah-ul-Haq was again called on to save respectability, making 56
off 86 balls to back up tournament innings of 65, 73, 7, 76.
The 40-year-old must tire of mopping up top order capitulations.
He became the first batsman to score 5,000 one-day international runs
without any individual century in his 147th innings across 160 matches.
(New Zealand Herald)
SCOREBOARD
Pakistan innings
Sarfraz Ahmed run out (Miller/de Kock) 49
Ahmed Shehzad c Steyn b Abbott 18
Younis Khan c Rossouw b de Villiers 37
Misbah-ul-Haq c Morkel b Steyn 56
Sohaib Maqsood c Rossouw b Abbott 08
Umar Akmal c de Villiers b Morkel 13
Shahid Afridi c Duminy b Steyn 22
Wahab Riaz lbw b Tahir 00
Sohail Khan c Duminy b Morkel 03
Rahat Ali c Tahir b Steyn 01
Mohammad Irfan not out 01
Extras (lb 7, w 6, nb 1) 14
TOTAL (all out; 46.4 overs) 222
Fall of wickets: 1-30 (Shehzad), 2-92 (Ahmed), 3-132 (Khan)
4-156 (Maqsood), 5-175 (Akmal), 6-212 (Afridi)
7-212 (Riaz), 8-218 (Haq), 9-221 (Ali)
10-222 (S Khan)
Bowling: Steyn 10-3-30-3
Abbott 9-0-45-2
Morkel 9.4-0-25-2
Tahir 9-1-38-1
de Villiers 6-0-43-1
Duminy 3-0-34-0
South Africa innings (target 232 runs from 47 overs)
Quinton de Kock c Ahmed b Irfan 00
Hashim Amla c Ahmed b Riaz 38
Faf du Plessis c Ahmed b Ali 27
Rilee Rossouw c S Khan b Riaz 06
AB de Villiers c Ahmed b S Khan 77
David Miller lbw b Ali 00
JP Duminy c Riaz b Irfan 12
Dale Steyn c Ahmed b Irfan 16
Kyle Abbott c Y Khan b Ali 12
Morne Morkel not out 06
Imran Tahir c Ahmed b Riaz 00
Extras (lb 1, w 7) 08
TOTAL (all out; 33.3 overs) 202
Fall of wickets: 1-0 (de Kock), 2-67 (du Plessis), 3-67 (Amla)
4-74 (Rossouw), 5-77 (Miller), 6-102 (Duminy)
7-138 (Steyn), 8-172 (Abbott), 9-200 (de Villiers)
10-202 (Tahir)
Bowling: Irfan 8-0-52-3
S Khan 5-0-36-1
Ali 8-1-40-3
Afridi 5-0-28-0
Riaz 7.3-2-45-3 |
