In an edge-of-the-seat thriller, South Africa ended their 23-year-long wait for an ODI World Cup win over Pakistan with a one-wicket win in Chennai on Saturday.
The win, South Africa’s fifth of the competition, has taken them to the top of the points table as they replace India at the no. 1 spot thanks to a better net run rate despite being level on points.
Chasing 271, South Africa were in a comfortable spot at 206/4 in 33 overs when Shaheen Afridi dislodged David Miller (29) to give Pakistan an opening.
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And the former champions grabbed the chance to reduce South Africa to 260/9 leaving Keshav Maharaj and Tabraiz Shamsi with a challenging but not an impossible task to take their team over the line.
The pair held their nerves and needed some luck on their side too when a not out lbw call given in favour of Shamsi was upheld despite Pakistan’s review due to umpire’s call in the 46th over with South Africa still needing 8 runs to win and just one wicket in the bank.
South Africa completed their chase in 47.2 overs to clinch a memorable win. It was Maharaj who struck the winning boundary pulling away a short delivery from Mohammad Nawaz.
Pakistan needed early wickets but South Africa started on a brisk note with their captain Temba Bavuma hitting a four off the very first delivery of the chase.
Pakistan were then handed a major blow when allrounder Shadab Khan hurt himself while fielding in the first over after hitting his head on the ground during fielding. He was later diagnosed with concussion and Usama Mir came in as his like-for-like replacement.
Quinton de Kock continued his excellent form and belted five fours before finding the fielder in the deep to hole out on 24 off 14 as Pakistan landed their first blow. Captain Temba Bavuma (28 off 27) made a quick start to the chase but was dismissed in the fourth over by Mohammad Wasim.
However, Aiden Markram (91) and Rassie van Dur Dussen (21) added 54 runs to put South Africa in a comfortable spot.
Earlier, Skipper Babar Azam and Saud Shakeel struck fifties but Pakistan batters frittered away good starts to be bowled out for a below-par 270 by South Africa.
While Babar managed 50 off 65 deliveries, Shakeel made a run-a-ball 52 but Pakistan couldn’t build enough partnerships and also faltered in the back end to be dismissed in 46.4 overs after opting to bat.
Left-arm spinner Tabraiz Shamsi, who was playing only his second game, shone with figures of four for 60, while Marco Jansen (3/43) was superb with the new ball, and Gerald Coetzee (2/42) also snapped two.
It all began with a maiden over from Jansen, who accounted for both the openers — Abdullah Shafique (9) and Imam-ul-Haq (12) as Pakistan slipped to 38 for 2 in the seventh over.
It could have been third down for the Pakistan in the same over had Jansen hold on to a caught and bowled chance for Mohammad Rizwan.
Rizwan started on an aggressive note, hitting a six off spinner Keshav Maharaj and constructing a 48-run partnership with Babar (50).
However, the lease of life that Jansen offered him did not last long, as in the 16th over, speedster Coetzee sent him back to the pavilion after being caught behind, with the score reading 86 for three.
While Coetzee continued to suppress Pakistan’s scoring rate, they brought up their 100 by the 20th over.
The pair of Babar and Iftikhar Ahmed (21) added 43 for the fourth wicket before the latter became the fourth man to be dismissed, holing out to Heinrich Klaasen off Shamsi in the 26th.
In the meantime, Babar brought up his 31st ODI half-century but right after the landmark, he fell prey to Shamsi in the 28th after an attempted sweep saw the ball take the faintest of nicks before being gloved by Quinton de Kock.
Although initially given not out by the umpire, the Proteas opted for the review at the last moment and the decision went in their favour as Pakistan slumped to 141 for five.
Saud Shakeel (52) and Shadab Khan (43) then joined hands and forged a much-needed partnership of 84 runs, bringing their innings back on track. Soon the team 200 was up by the 37th over but Pakistan couldn’t make use of the platform.
While Shadab mainly targeted Maharaj, it was Coetzee who got the better of him in the 40th after an attempted pull to mid-wicket saw him getting caught by Maharaj.
With ten more overs remaining, the Pakistani batters looked to go for shots to cross the 300-run mark.
It was a dream far too fetched for the Green Shirts, as they lost Shakeel at 43rd over, followed by Shaheen Afridi (2) to slip to 259 for 8. Mohammad Nawaz (24) and Mohammad Wasim Jr (7) were the final men to fall.
With PTI Inputs
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