Pakistan defeated South Africa by 33 runs (D/L method) in yesterday’s (October 3) ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022 Super 12 match at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG). With the win, Pakistan kept alive their hopes of making it to the semi-finals of the tournament.
Batting first after winning the toss, Pakistan overcame a poor start to post an impressive total of 185/9. Iftikhar Ahmed (51 off 35) and Shadab Khan (52 off 22) starred in Pakistan’s recovery, adding 82 runs for the sixth wicket.
Shadab (2/16) and Shaheen Afridi (3/14) then impressed with the ball as Pakistan held the Proteas to 108/9 after their target was revised to 142 in 14 overs due to a rain interruption.
Pakistan’s batting has not been in great form in the ongoing World Cup and they stumbled again, losing four wickets inside seven overs. Mohammad Rizwan (four) played on to Wayne Parnell in the first over. Mohammad Haris, replacing Fakhar Zaman, flourished briefly before being trapped lbw by Anrich Nortje for 28 off 11 balls.
Another poor showing from Pakistan skipper Babar Azam produced six off 15 balls. He fell to Lungi Ngidi, unable to break the shackles. Shan Masood (two) added to Pakistan’s misery, chipping a simple catch off Nortje’s bowling.
The batting side’s recovery began with a fifth-wicket stand of 52 between Mohammad Nawaz and Iftikhar. The former contributed a handy 28 once again, but fell in bizarre fashion, not reviewing an lbw even though he had hit the bat.
His dismissal proved to be a blessing in disguise, though, as Shadab came in and took the attack to South Africa’s bowlers. He raced to fifty in only 20 balls as Pakistan’s innings went into overdrive. The all-rounder slammed three four and four sixes in his counter-attacking knock. Iftikhar was comparatively sedate, but also hit three fours and two maximums.
Chasing 186, South Africa, much like Pakistan, got off to a disastrous start. They were four down with 66 on the board by the eighth over. Afridi dismissed Quinton de Kock for a duck and Rilee Rossouw for seven. Temba Bavuma and Aiden Markram steadied the South African innings. The Proteas skipper looked fluent for once.
It all changed in Shadab’s first over. Bavuma (36 off 19) was caught behind white attempting to run the ball to third man, while Markram was beaten for pace and castled. South Africa were 69/4 when rain halted play in the ninth over. When the match resumed, they needed 73 off 30 balls.
With David Miller missing from the line-up, the Proteas could not put up much of a challenge as Afridi, Naseem Shah and Mohammad Wasim Jr stifled the batters.
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Shadab had an excellent all-round game. His blazing fifty lifted Pakistan to a highly competitive total. With the ball, his two wickets in one over hurt South Africa badly.
Iftikhar came up with another mature half-century under pressure. His partnership with Shadab was match-defining. During Pakistan’s defense, Afridi raised his game and picked up three key wickets.
For South Africa, Nortje claimed four wickets, although he proved a tad expensive. Skipper Bavuma made an impressive start, but couldn’t carry on.
Shadab was named Player of the Match for his stellar all-round effort as Pakistan lived to fight another day.
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