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South Africa emerged victorious in a nail-biting encounter against Pakistan at M.A. Chidambaram stadium. Keshav Maharaj was the saviour for South Africa who scored the winning runs and finished the game in style. The game was evenly poised as Pakistan was just a wicket away from the win while Proteas just needed a boundary. Keshav Maharaj handled the pressure well and took South Africa over the line.
Talking about the game, Pakistan won the toss and elected to bat first. Openers Abdullah Shafique and Imam-Ul-Haq were dismissed early at the start by Marco Jansen. Later Babar Azam and Mohammed Rizwan steadied the innings and added 48 runs to the partnership, but it was eventually broken as Gerald Coetzee dismissed Rizwan.
Babar Azam scored yet another fifty but was dismissed just after completing his half-century, putting pressure on Pakistan. Saud Shakeel along with Shadab Khan added 84 runs for the sixth wicket partnership. Saud scored his second fifty in this World Cup as he scored 52(52). Shadab was dismissed on 43(36) giving Pakistan a chance to put a respectable total on board.
Pakistan was rattled on 270/10 giving a target of 271 for the Proteas. Chasing the target, South African openers Bavuma and de Kock started well but de Kock after playing some superb shots was dismissed by Shaheen Shah Afridi.
All the South African batters were dismissed before 30 runs only Aiden Markram was the man for the South Africans, he scored a brilliant 91(93). He missed on his well-deserved century but played a vital knock for the team.
When Markram was dismissed, South Africa needed only 21 runs to win but they had only three wickets in hand and all three were tailenders. In the very next over Shaheen dismissed Gerald Coetzee which brought Pakistan back into the game.
Haris Rauf took a blinder to dismiss Lungi Ngidi. Now South Africa were 9 down with 11 runs to win. Keshav Maharaj who had a bad day with the bowling was a time for him to make a comeback and he did it by hitting a boundary and getting South Africa over the line.
It was a thriller of a game with both sides giving their full strengths to win the game. Pakistan’s chances of qualifying for the semis are less as they have lost four matches in a row.
South Africa is placed at the top of the points table and will cherish this movement. Tabraiz Shamsi was adjudged the Player of the Match for his excellent spell of 10-60-4.
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