CWC 2019: PAK vs SA Review – Sohail storm knocks the Proteas out
The torrid World Cup for the Proteas continues. Failing to come out of their shell again, they surrendered to a meek defeat against a charged-up Pakistan. With the defeat, their tournament is now over with only pride left to play for in the upcoming matches.
For Pakistan, a good performance was a necessity after their thrashing against India. They appeared to be the braver unit out of the two sides, being aggressive both with the bat and the ball. The batsmen first carried out their jobs to perfection, putting up a score of 308/7. With runs on the board, their bowlers would always have a chance and came up with a disciplined performance to restrict the Proteas to 259/9, clinching a 49 run victory. With the win, they stay alive in the tournament and embarking on a winning run could well see them contesting in the semis.
Check out the full scorecard here
Openers set the tone
After Sarfaraz’s decision to bat first on a pitch which had a tinge of grass, Pakistan needed their openers to give them a steady start. The onus was on Imam-ul-Haq and Fakhar Zaman to set the tone of the innings. That’s exactly what they did, looking confident against the South African pacers. Their opening stand of 81 gave the middle order the launch pad from where they could eye a big score before Imran Tahir got the scalp of Zaman.
Babar holds the fort
Babar Azam again displayed why he is regarded as the biggest hope for Pakistan cricket. He was calm and composed, holding one end together, not trying anything risky. Despite losing Imam and Hafeez in relatively quick succession, Babar wasn’t fazed and went about conducting his business. There were a few breathtaking strokes, which we have come to expect from Babar. But for most parts, he played within himself. His demeanour allowed Haris Sohail to launch an assault which would change the tempo of the game.
Sohail enters the party
What a way for Haris Sohail to silence his detractors. Pakistan seriously needed some urgency in their batting order and took the gamble on Sohail who was included in the lineup. His intent was clear from the very start, adapting an ultra-aggressive approach. He was middling virtually every ball, going hell for leather. This allowed Azam to played his game and rotate the strike, while Sohail targeted the bowlers. Even after Babar was dismissed for 69, he did not deter in his style of play, hitting the ball all over the park, without trying anything out of the ordinary. Imad Wasim then gave him good support, as Pakistan started to attack from both ends. His innings of 89 off only 59 deliveries ensured that Pakistan would cross the 300-run mark and give their bowlers a big score to defend. By the time he was dismissed by Ngidi in the final over, the job was done and Pakistan had registered a score of 308/7 on the board.
South Africa slow off the mark
Chasing a big score down, the South African openers failed to show the urgency to put the pressure back on Pakistan. Amla continued his torrid tournament, being dismissed by Mohammad Amir for 2. Quinton de Kock was also not at his fluent best, failing to play his range of expansive strokes. Faf du Plessis too couldn’t flex his muscles, as the required rate kept on climbing. Though the partnership between the pair was building, it never looked threatening to the Men in Green as there was a clear lack of intent. After de Kock and Markram were dismissed in short order for 47 and 7 respectively, it was up to the skipper to take the initiative. He failed to do so, going for a big heave against Amir and walking back to the pavilion for 63.
A near impossible task
In the end, despite the best efforts of Rassie van der Dussen, David Miller and the all-rounders, the required rate had gotten too out of reach for the Proteas. A tepid start at the top had come back to haunt them as the Pakistani bowlers applied the choke and never looked in any serious danger of losing the match. With this, South Africa’s nightmare tournament continued, while Pakistan kept their hopes alive. With another timid performance, there is surely bound to be a serious introspection within the ranks of South African cricket, with their approach in the ODI format looking outdated. For Pakistan, it was a great collective effort from the bowling unit with Shadab Khan and Wahab Riaz picking up three scalps each.
