Pakistan make emphatic comeback with 49-run win over Proteas

Pakistan kept alive their slender hopes of making the semifinals while knocking South Africa out of the ICC World Cup with a 49-run win here Sunday.

Batting first, the 1992 champions posted 308 for seven withHaris Sohail’s 59-ball 89 being the highlight of their innings. In reply, SouthAfrica were stopped at 259 for nine in 50 overs.

   

With just three points from seven outings, South Africa areout of the tournament while Pakistan could still sneak into the semifinals,provided they win their remaining matches and other results go in their favour.

Chasing 309, South Africa began on a poor note, losingHashim Amla (2) in the second over.

There was swing straightaway for Mohammad Amir and eventhough the Pakistan pace spearhead’s big appeal for an LBW could not impressthe umpire, Hawkeye showed the ball would have hit the stumps, giving him awicket off his first ball.

Skipper Faf du Plessis (63 off 79 balls) joined Quinton deKock (47 off 60) early and the duo shared 87 runs for the second wicket to keepSouth Africa in the game. De Kock fell three short of a fifty, and the Proteaslost two more wickets after that, giving Pakistan the upper hand.

A 53-run partnership ensued between Rassie van der Dussen(36) and David Miller (31), but the former got out while trying to hit ShadabKhan against the turn. Miller, who failed to make use of two reprieves, wasbowled by Shaheen Afridi to dash whatever little hopes South Africa had at thatpoint.

Later, Andile Phehlukwayo blazed away to 46 off 32 ballswith six boundaries.

Shadab (3/50 in 10 overs) and Wahab Riaz (3/46 in 10) werePakistan’s most successful bowlers, while Amir picked up two wickets.

Earlier, Sohail marked his return with a scintillating knockand powered Pakistan to a competitive total.

Playing in his first match of the tournament since theouting against West Indies in their opener, Sohail smashed nine fours and threesixes.

The 30-year-old added 81 runs for the fourth wicket withBabar Azam (69 off 80 balls), but it was Sohail’s brisk 71-run partnership withImad Wasim (23 off 15 balls), which gave Pakistan innings the impetus it neededin this must-win game.

The last 10 overs yielded 91 runs, with Sohail doing most ofthe damage.

Pakistan were off to their most convincing start in thetournament, with the opening duo of Fakhar Zaman and Imam-ul-Haq adding 81 runsin just under 15 overs.

Both the openers struck half-a-dozen boundaries each duringtheir stay in the middle but fell for an identical 44.

Fakhar and Imam drove and pulled pacers Kagiso Rabada andLungi Ngidi (3/64)with authority.

South Africa had their first breakthrough when Imran Tahir(2/41) had Fakhar scooping one to the safe hands of Hashim Amla at first slip.Tahir went past Allan Donald as the highestwicket-taker for the Proteas at World Cups with 38 wickets when he produced anexcellent one-handed catch to dismiss Imam.

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