Pakistan bounce back

Dubai: Pakistan defended a moderate total to bounce back with a 66-run victory over South Africa to equal the Cool & Cool Cup five match series 1-1 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.

It was a spirited performance from Pakistan who had lost the first One-day match by one run. Their bowlers produced a sterling performance with Shahid Afridi, the darling of the crowd, producing a three wicket spell for 26 runs backed by Mohammad Ifan with three for 53 and Saeed Ajmal chipping in with 2 for 15.

If not for Shahid Afridi’s 26 runs off 20 balls Pakistan would not have even crossed the 200 run-mark. Chasing the moderate total South Africa were restricted to 143 runs in 40.4 overs.

Winning the toss and electing to bat first, Pakistan opener Nasir Jamshed repeated the same mistake he committed during the Sharjah One-dayer. Without going behind the line of the ball, he went for a pull shot only to get a thick leading edge and Lonwabo Tsotsobe taking a diving catch at fine leg, judging it correctly despite wicketkeeper and his skipper AB De Villiers too running for the catch.

Shehzad and Haq handled the South African attack without much difficulty. They played the danger man leg spinner Imran Tahir correctly. Shehzad even played a lovely shot off Tahir, cutting him past point to the boundary. Haq even hit a six off JP Duminy. Two balls later, Shehzad reached his third consecutive half century. The pair put on 60 runs in 15 overs before Haq fell for 25 runs flicking McLaren to David Miller at deep mid wicket.

At a time when Shehzad should have held on to further boost Pakistan’s total, he offered a return catch to Tahir for 58. Umar Akmal and Umar Amin took the score to 148 when both of them fell as the same score.

Akmal went on to his knees and drove Morkel in the air to be caught by Ingram at covers for 18 while Amin going for pull of McLaren gloved the ball to wicketkeeper De Villiers for 14.

Pakistan lost four wickets for just 36 runs. Crowd’s favourite Afridi was cheered onto the wicket by the fans with Pakistan at 148 for 6. Afridi hit Tsotsobe for two consecutive boundaries in the 42nd over to bring some cheers to the spectators. Unfortunately their cheers did not last long as Sohail Tanvir got run out racing towards the non strikers end with Afridi not responding.

Chasing the target, South Africa began on bad note losing opener to the second ball of the second over with opener Colin Ingram failing again. Sohail Tanvir bowled Ingram through the gates with an inswinger. Saeed Ajmal picked the prize wicket of Graeme Smith who going for a sweep failed to connect and the ball hit his pads to dislodge the bails for 14.

JP Duminy too fell after scoring 25 runs edging Mohammad Irfan to Mohammad Hafeez at first slip. Three down for 49 in 14.3 overs, Pakistan got a good start. AB De Villiers and Faf Du Plessis took the score to 66 when Shahid Afridi struck with the first ball of his first delivery trapping Du Plessis leg before for 12. In the next over, Afridi put Pakistan on top forcing skipper AB De Viliers to edge to wicketkeeper Umar Akmal. The crowd danced in joy as half the South African side were back in the pavilion at the half way mark. To further sink South Africa into trouble, Mohammad Hafeez trapped inform David Miller leg before. Wayne Parnell and Ryan McLaren added another 35 runs but Irfan ended Parnell’s fighting knock of 21. This was the last fighting partnership before South Africa bowed to Pakistan’s bowling attack totally.