Chennai: Match no. 26 of the ICC World Cup 2023 played between Pakistan and South Africa turned out to be a treat for cricket lovers as the former beat the latter by just one wicket.
Chasing a target of 271, most of the top and middle order batters failed to capitalise on the starts they got but Aiden Markram was one who was steering the innings with a brilliant strokeplay. The South African all-rounder played a knock of 91 runs and it seemed as if he is going to take South Africa over finish line.
However, the batter went back to the pavilion 21 runs short of the target and that created some drama in the game. Pakistan pacers bowled brilliantly to reduce South Africa to 260/9 and the win might have slipped away from their hands but Keshav Maharaj and Tabraiz Shamsi kept their cool to provide a finish.
Earlier in the day, Pakistan batted first and their skipper Babar Azam again took the baton in his hand with a 65-ball 50 as Pakistan were bundled out for 270 with 20 deliveries to spare against title contenders South Africa at the MA Chidambaram Stadium here on Friday. Pakistan were in trouble from the outset losing openers Abdullah Shafique (9) and Imam-ul-Haq (12) inside the first seven overs of the day. Skipper Babar Azam hung in there for quite some time to resurrect the innings, along with wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan.
Rizwan played a brief attacking innings of 31 in 27 balls laced with four boundaries and a six while Babar also had four hits to the fences and lofted one over it. Coming in at number six, Saud Shakeel scored a run-a-ball 52 with seven hits to the advertising hoardings. In between Pakistan lost Iftikhar Ahmed after having settled in the crease for his individual score of 21.
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Number seven batter Shadab Khan played a blitzkrieg 43 off 36 deliveries peppered with three fours and a couple of sixes before being shown the door by Gerald Coetzee caught by Keshav Maharaj. The Proteas bowling also was handicapped on the day sans strike bowler Kagiso Rabada. Marco Jansen though lived up to the expectation claiming three wickets for 43 runs in his nine overs. Lungi Ngidi was expensive, bagging one for 45 in his 7.4 overs. Gerald Coetzee scalped two wickets and Tabraiz Shamsi claimed four wickets for 60 runs in his full quota of 10 overs.
South Africa with eight points placed second after India with four victories from five matches while Pakistan are lurking at the sixth spot on the points table with two wins and three defeats having logged four points. Pakistan desperately need to win the match to stay afloat in the 10-team tournament by securing a semi-final berth.
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