Chennai, Oct 27: South Africa defeated Pakistan by one wicket in a tense finish to push their Asian rivals to the brink of elimination from the World cup here on Friday.
South Africa bowled out Pakistan for 270 and then returned to overhaul the target, scoring 271 for 9 in 47.2 overs with Aiden Markram top-scoring with a 93-ball 91.
Earlier, opting to bat, skipper Babar Azam made a 65-ball 50, while Saud Shakeel scored a run-a-ball 52. Shadab Khan also chipped in with a 36-ball 43.
However, Pakistan couldn’t build partnerships as South Africa managed to take wickets with Tabraiz Shamsi (4/60) emerging as the most successful bowler.Marco Jansen (3/43), Gerald Coetzee (2/42) and Lungi Ngidi (1/45) shared six wickets among them.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 during their World Cup match here on Friday.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. (PTI)
