Pakistan have managed to stay alive in T20 World Cup 2022 with a comprehensive xx-run win (DLS method) in the must-win contest. Babar Azam-led Pakistan ended South Africa's unbeaten run in the tournament in a rain-curtailed encounter at Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG), thanks to Shadab Khan’s superb all-round show.
Initially, South Africa were chasing 186. Shaheen Afridi struck in his first over to get Quinton de Kock out for a five-ball duck. Rilee Rossouw (7) hit a six to show that he is in rhythm but edged one to third-man fielder Naseem Shah.
Skipper Temba Bavuma took the lead in the powerplay overs and hit a few exquisite shots to get the run chase back on the track. South Africa had 48 runs on the board after six over. Haris Rauf conceded 17 runs off the next over as Aiden Markram hit a couple of boundaries as well. With rain approaching, South Africa had everything under control but Shadab's first over changed the game.
Shadab got the wicket of Bavuma off the first ball he bowled. Bavuma scored 36 runs from 19 deliveries including four fours and one six. He dismissed Markram (20) too in the same over. Two new batters Tristan Stubbs and Heinrich Klaasen were kept quiet by Mohammad Nawaz in the next over. South Africa had 69/4 on the board after nine overs and that's when rain got heavy.
South Africa were well behind the DLS par score as they lost two quick wickets. The rain led to South Africa losing control and overs in the run chase. After the rain delay, the Proteas needed 73 more runs from five overs to win the game which was never going to be easy against a ferocious Pakistan bowling side.
Stubbs and Klaasen started off well with a 14-run over. Babar switched to fast bowlers. Afridi was expensive initially conceding two boundaries off Klaasen's bat but he got the wicketkeeper-batter's wicket in the same over. Wayne Parnell departed in the next over without making an impact. South Africa needed 43 runs from 12 balls. Stubbs took the responsibility but could not succeed against Naseem Shah. Stubbs departed for a run-a-ball 18. In the final over, Kagiso Rabada got run out, Anrich Nortje lost his wicket trying to slow. Rauf conceded just seven runs as South Africa lost the game by a big margin of 33 runs.
Earlier, Pakistan openers flop show continued after Babar opted to bat first. Mohammad Rizwan dragged the ball on to his stumps after hitting a boundary. Mohammad Haris walked out with an intent to use powerplay overs. He succeeded and scored 28 runs from 11 deliveries before getting dismissed by Nortje. Meanwhile, Babar's struggle at the crease continued and he got out after scoring just six runs from 15 deliveries to Lungi Ngidi. After powerplay overs, Pakistan had 42 runs on the board. Nortje struck again got Shan Masood (2) out for a single-digit score. At 43/4, Pakistan were struggling and a big score looked unlikely.
Mohammad Nawaz and Iftikhar Ahmed took their time to steady the shi. Nawz attacked in a bid to boost the scoring rate. He got the score close to 100 but got dismissed by Tabraiz Shamsi. Nawaz scored 28 runs from 22 deliveries. Shadab arrived at the crease and took all the pressure off Iftikhar. No bowler was spared by the duo. In the penultimate over, Iftikhar reached his half-century from 33 deliveries. Nortje faltered and bowled a no ball as drizzle made bowling tough. Shadab got to his half-century with a six. He reached the milestone from just 20 deliveries to hit Pakistan's second-fastest fifty in T20 World Cup. Nortje followed it up with the wicket of Mohammad Wasim Jr to finish off his spell.
Pakistan did not finish well Iftikhar got out first ball to Rabada. He scored 51 runs from 35 deliveries including three fours and two sixes. Naseem and Rauf threw their bat at everything to get some crucial runs. Rauf got run out off the last ball but Pakistan managed to post 185/9.
