In a turn of events Tabraiz Shamsi narrowly escaped an lbw decision that could've scripted South Africa's loss against Pakistan but the critical 'Umpire's Call' culminated in Men in Green's one-wicket defeat, marking their fourth consecutive defeat in the ongoing ODI World Cup 2023.
During the nerve-wracking chase of 271, South Africa found itself down to its last wicket. As Shamsi faced an intense lbw appeal from Haris Rauf, the initial decision was a 'not out' by the on-field umpire. The situation intensified when a confident Rauf called for a review, only for the 'Umpire's Call' to save Shamsi by a thread, proving crucial for the match's outcome.
Reflecting on that moment, Shamsi shared, "When I walked down the wicket, Keshav (Maharaj) told me that it was sliding down the wicket. So, I felt cool about it." Keshav Maharaj, recognised for his strategic play, pointed out the unpredictability of DRS calls, highlighting Rassie van der Dussen's controversial lbw decision where on-screen evidence and Umpire's Call conflicted. Despite their reservations, Shamsi noted, "Obviously, we felt differently. But when the technology says otherwise, we have to accept it."
Discussing the climax of the match, Shamsi elaborated on their strategy given the abundance of time and deliveries. He recognized Pakistan's prowess in getting the old ball to reverse but expressed his confidence, saying,"We knew we had a lot of time, so it was just a matter of getting forward and putting the bat in the way. They were always going to come for the stumps, and the ball was reversing. I love it (those nervy moments). That's probably the only four runs that I have scored the whole year, but with those guys running in and bowling quick, I have never seen the ball as clearly as today. For some reason, it didn't feel like a pressure situation."
Shamsi further reflected on his bowling, expressing satisfaction after being awarded the Player of the Match following his impressive 4/60.
"Very happy with that. Obviously, the guys up front are doing a great job. Full credit to them who bowled before me. We are a unit. Today was my day to take the wickets, but they obviously set it up, and it was my job to continue and make it easier for the guys," he added.
On his part, Maharaj credited the top-order batters for setting up the platform.
"I was just watching the ball, and I felt confident of being in a position where I could just place the ball in the right area. We know Shaheen, the calibre of a pacer he is. It was quite difficult but lucky enough that we got through the period. The batters set it up for us. Yes, there were situations where we felt we had to take the risk. But, the bigger picture was that there were 40 balls to go, and a run a ball would have been enough. (With the field placement) we had to fight our temptation (of going for the big hits)," he concluded.
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