South Africa took the primary big step in direction of shedding the everlasting chokers tag as they pushed Pakistan in direction of the World Cup exit door successful a humdinger of a contest by solitary wicket in Chennai on Friday. This is 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 international occasion. Pakistan are on 4 factors from six video games and even when they win all three video games, there may be lower than 5 p.c probability of them qualifying for the final 4 stage.

What seemed like a simple chase of 271, out of the blue grew to become the closest sport of the event as Proteas slumped from 235 for five to 260 for 9, because of an impressed part of top quality tempo bowling by Shaheen Shah Afridi (3/45) and Haris Rauf (2/62).

However 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 workforce to prime of factors desk with 10 factors.

“This is not just four most important runs that I have scored but perhaps the only four runs I have scored in the entire year,” a beaming Shamsi stated after accepting the ‘Player of the Match’ award for his match figures of 4 for 60.

Maharaj survived a detailed DRS enchantment off Rauf’s supply, courtesy Umpires’ Call 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 gradual bowling and Maharaj let a battle cry after slapping it behind the vacant backward sq. leg for a boundary.

While Babar would really feel short-changed as one of many deliveries bowled by certainly one of his pacers brushed Keshav Maharaj’s pads however was referred to as large however he cannot deny that his workforce put up at the very least 40 runs much less of what might have been a par rating on good batting monitor.

His captaincy was additionally unimaginative as Aiden Markram (91 off 93 balls) confirmed why he’s rated so extremely with a high 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 number of runs.

The inside 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 number of free 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.

While 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 taking part in solely his second sport, shone with figures of 4 for 60, whereas Marco Jansen (3/43) was excellent with the brand new ball, and Gerald Coetzee (2/42) additionally snapped two.

It all 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 probability for Mohammad Rizwan.

Rizwan began on an aggressive notice, hitting a six off spinner Keshav Maharaj and establishing a 48-run partnership with Babar (50).

However, 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.

While Coetzee continued to suppress Pakistan’s scoring fee, 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 grew to become the fourth man to be dismissed, holing out to Heinrich Klaasen off Shamsi within the twenty sixth.

In 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.

Although initially given not out by the umpire, the Proteas opted for the evaluate on the final second and the choice went of their favour as Pakistan slumped to 141 for 5.

Shakeel and Shadab (43) then joined arms and cast a much-needed partnership of 84 runs, bringing their innings again on monitor. Soon the workforce 200 was up by the thirty seventh over however Pakistan could not make use of the platform.

In the top archaic batting letting them down.

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