Pakistan’s former star pacer Shoaib Akhtar has said that Team India’s batting lineup was exposed against South Africa in Perth. The former cricketer said on his YouTube channel. said that the batting lineup from the Indian sub-continent gets exposed whenever they face a quality pace attack. Shoaib Akhtar said that if Indian batsmen had not hurried to play the shots and if they were able to take the score to 150, the contest would have been interesting.
The former cricketer said that Team India left many fans of Pakistan disappointed. He had special praise for South Africa’s David Miller who along with Aiden Markram guided South Africa to victory. The veteran also had a special mention for Man of the Match Lungi Ngidi who jolted Team India’s top order with his quality spell of fast deliveries.
He also rued that now chances of Pakistan’s qualification in the next round is almost impossible and Pakistan now has a very slim chance of moving into the next round. Shoaib Akhtar also predicted that South Africa and New Zealand are the two teams that are likely to win this edition of the T20World Cup in Australia.
South Africa took control of Group 2 at the T20 World Cup on Sunday with a nervy win over India after Pakistan kept their faint semi-final hopes alive with their first win of the tournament in Australia.
David Miller and Aiden Markram both hit half-centuries to lead South Africa to a five-wicket win with two balls to spare after the Proteas’ fast bowlers, led by Lungi Ngidi who took 4-29, restricted India to an under-par 133-9 on a lively Perth pitch.
Miller, who scored 59 not out, and Markram, who made 52, put on 76 after the side’s top order fell cheaply. India’s attack made early inroads with left-arm quick Arshdeep Singh striking twice in three balls.
First he removed Quinton de Kock, caught by KL Rahul for one, then two balls later had Rilee Rossouw, who made a century in the previous match against Bangladesh, lbw for nought.
“We expected the pitch to have something in it,” said India captain Rohit Sharma, “which is why you saw that 130 was not an easy chase. I thought we fought well till the end but South Africa played well.
“It was a match-winning partnership from Miller and Markram. But we were not good enough on the field.”
Earlier Ngidi led a fiery pace onslaught after India chose to bat with only Yadav, with a 40-ball 68, standing firm after India slumped to 49-5.
Ngidi was ably supported by fellow fast bowler Wayne Parnell who finished with 3-15 after starting the innings with a T20 rarity — a maiden over.
*With inputs from agencies
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