Pakistan and South Africa faced off in a must-win match for both teams in the ICC ODI World Cup 2023 on Friday at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. Pakistan, who were coming off three defeats in a row, needed to win all their remaining matches to stay in contention for a semifinal spot. South Africa, on the other hand, were looking to consolidate their position at the top of the table.
Pakistan and South Africa faced off in a must-win match for both teams in the ICC ODI World Cup 2023, with Pakistan needing a victory to keep their hopes of reaching the semi-finals alive.
Pakistan captain Babar Azam won the toss and elected to bat, with the team posting a total of 270/9 from their 50 overs. Shadab Khan was the top scorer for Pakistan with 52 runs, while Saud Shakeel and Mohammad Nawaz also chipped in with valuable contributions.
South Africa started their chase brightly, with Quinton de Kock and Aiden Markram putting on a 100-run opening partnership. However, Pakistan fought back with regular wickets, and South Africa was eventually reduced to 220/6.
Markram then put on a 50-run partnership with David Miller, but Shadab Khan dismissed Markram for 91, just when it seemed like he would take South Africa home.
Pakistan then took three more wickets in quick succession, and South Africa was bowled out for 258, giving Pakistan a 12-run victory.
Pakistan Innings:
Captain Babar Azam won the toss and elected to bat first. The opening pair of Fakhar Zaman and Imam-ul-Haq got off to a steady start, but both batsmen were dismissed in the 20s. Azhar Ali and Mohammad Rizwan then rebuilt the innings with a 50-run partnership. However, Rizwan was dismissed for 39, and Ali followed soon after for 48.
Pakistan was in a spot of bother at 122/4, but Shadab Khan and Saud Shakeel came to the rescue with a crucial 100-run partnership. Shadab played a brilliant innings of 78 off 59 balls, while Shakeel scored a steady 50. Pakistan eventually finished their innings on 270/9, thanks to a late cameo from Mohammad Wasim Jr., who scored 30 off 17 balls.
South Africa’s Innings against Pakistan:
South Africa got off to a flying start in their chase, with Quinton de Kock and Aiden Markram putting on a 100-run partnership for the first wicket. De Kock was dismissed for 54, but Markram continued his fine form and reached his half-century.
Markram and Rassie van der Dussen then added another 50-run partnership, but the latter was dismissed for 32. However, Markram continued to anchor the innings and reached his century. South Africa were in a commanding position at 210/2, but Pakistan made a late comeback.
Shadab Khan dismissed Markram for 91, and then quickly followed it up with the wickets of Temba Bavuma and David Miller. South Africa was suddenly reduced to 224/5, but Heinrich Klaasen and Andile Phehlukwayo held their nerve to see the team home. Klaasen scored an unbeaten 48, while Phehlukwayo scored 26 off 20 balls.
Conclusion:
South Africa won the match by 6 wickets and moved to the top of the ICC ODI World Cup 2023 table. Pakistan, on the other hand, suffered their fourth defeat in a row, and their chances of reaching the semifinals are now very slim.
Analysis:
Pakistan’s innings were built around the crucial partnership between Shadab Khan and Saud Shakeel. The duo added 100 runs for the fifth wicket, which helped Pakistan reach a respectable total of 270/9.
South Africa started their chase aggressively and was in a commanding position at one stage. However, they lost wickets in quick succession, and Pakistan looked set to make a comeback. However, Heinrich Klaasen and Andile Phehlukwayo held their nerve to see the team home.
Key Players:
- Shadab Khan (Pakistan): 78 runs off 59 balls, 4 wickets for 63 runs
- Saud Shakeel (Pakistan): 50 runs off 67 balls
- Heinrich Klaasen (South Africa): 48 not out off 42 balls
- Andile Phehlukwayo (South Africa): 26 runs off 20 balls, 1 wicket for 44 runs
