With a sensational one-wicket win, the Proteas edged nearer to the semi-finals of the continued cricketing extravaganza, registering their fifth victory in 6 matches.
Chasing a difficult 271 for victory, the South African tail enders held their nerves in a tense end, taking their facet throughout the end line with 16 balls to spare.
The defeat pushed Pakistan nearer to elimination as Babar Azam and co. have now misplaced 4 matches in succession after profitable their first two.
That is now South Africa’s first World Cup win in opposition to Pakistan for the reason that 1999 version whereas Babar Azam’s males’s fourth loss on trot is nation’s first in world occasion.
As It Occurred
Pakistan are on 4 factors from six video games and even when they win all three video games, there’s lower than 5 % likelihood of them qualifying for the final 4 stage.
What regarded like an easy chase of 271, instantly turned the closest sport of the event as Proteas slumped from 235 for five to 260 for 9, because of an impressed section of top of the range tempo bowling by Shaheen Shah Afridi (3/45) and Haris Rauf (2/62).
Nevertheless Keshav Maharaj (7 not out) and Tabraiz Shamsi (4 not out) added the 11 most valuable runs of their profession to notch up a particular win in 47.2 overs and in addition take the crew to prime of factors desk with 10 factors.
“This isn’t simply 4 most vital runs that I’ve scored however maybe the one 4 runs I’ve scored in the whole yr,” a beaming Shamsi stated after accepting the ‘Participant of the Match’ award for his match figures of 4 for 60.
Maharaj survived a detailed DRS attraction off Rauf’s supply, courtesy Umpires’ Name and as soon as the bowler was on his haunches together with keeper Mohammed Rizwan, the writing was on the wall.
Left-arm spin of Mohammed Nawaz is an apology for sluggish bowling and Maharaj let a struggle cry after slapping it behind the vacant backward sq. leg for a boundary.
Whereas Babar would really feel short-changed as one of many deliveries bowled by one among his pacers brushed Keshav Maharaj’s pads however was referred to as extensive however he cannot deny that his crew put up at the least 40 runs much less of what might have been a par rating on good batting observe.
His captaincy was additionally unimaginative as Aiden Markram (91 off 93 balls) confirmed why he’s rated so extremely with a top quality knock .
Markram was each accumulator and aggressor in equal measure as he used the tempo of Rauf and Mohammed Wasim Junior to attain a variety of runs.
The within out six of Iftikhar’s off-break was a deal with whereas Quinton de Kock giving a rollicking begin additionally helped. He hit Shaheen for 4 boundaries and it did set the tempo.
Save Markram, the opposite small however helpful contributions got here from David Miller, who hit 29 off 33 balls and Marco Jansen 920 off 14 balls), who at all times discovered a method prime hit sixes to shut in on the goal.
Usama Mir (2/45), the concussion substitute did get a few wickets however bowled a variety of unfastened balls for Pakistan’s consolation.
Earlier, skipper Babar and Saud Shakeel struck fifties however Pakistan batters frittered away good begins to be bowled out for a below-par 270 after the losers determined to make first use of the strip.
Whereas Babar managed 50 off 65 deliveries, Shakeel made a run-a-ball 52 however Pakistan could not construct sufficient partnerships and in addition faltered within the again finish to be dismissed in 46.4 overs after opting to bat. The final 5 wickets fell for 45 runs.
Left-arm spinner Tabraiz Shamsi, who was enjoying solely his second sport, shone with figures of 4 for 60, whereas Marco Jansen (3/43) was very good with the brand new ball, and Gerald Coetzee (2/42) additionally snapped two.
All of it started with a maiden over from Jansen, who accounted for each the openers — Abdullah Shafique (9) and Imam-ul-Haq (12) as Pakistan slipped to 38 for two within the seventh over.
It might have been third down for the Pakistan in the identical over had Jansen maintain on to a caught and bowled likelihood for Mohammad Rizwan.
Rizwan began on an aggressive observe, hitting a six off spinner Keshav Maharaj and setting up a 48-run partnership with Babar (50).
Nevertheless, the lease of life that Jansen supplied him didn’t final lengthy, as within the sixteenth over, speedster Coetzee despatched him again to the pavilion after being caught behind, with the rating studying 86 for 3.
Whereas Coetzee continued to suppress Pakistan’s scoring price, they introduced up their 100 by the twentieth over.
The pair of Babar and Iftikhar Ahmed (21) added 43 for the fourth wicket earlier than the latter turned the fourth man to be dismissed, holing out to Heinrich Klaasen off Shamsi within the twenty sixth.
ICC World Cup 2023: South Africa clinches thrilling win over Pakistan by 1 wicket in a dramatic flip
Within the meantime, Babar introduced up his thirty first ODI half-century however proper after the landmark, he fell prey to Shamsi within the twenty eighth after an tried sweep noticed the ball take the faintest of nicks earlier than being gloved by Quinton de Kock.
Though initially given not out by the umpire, the Proteas opted for the evaluation on the final second and the choice went of their favour as Pakistan slumped to 141 for 5.
Shakeel and Shadab (43) then joined palms and solid a much-needed partnership of 84 runs, bringing their innings again on observe. Quickly the crew 200 was up by the thirty seventh over however Pakistan could not make use of the platform.
Ultimately archaic batting letting them down.
(With inputs from PTI)
