By Neil Manthorp.
Shadab Khan and Iftikhar Ahmed smashed scintillating half-centuries to help Pakistan recover from an early collapse to 43-4 against South Africa’s pace bowlers and reach an impressive total of 185-9 after choosing to bat first in their T20 World Cup match at the SCG on Thursday.
Shadab blasted 52 from just 22 balls (3×4, 4×6), the second fastest T20I 50 for his country, while Iftikhar was barely less aggressive with 51 from 35 balls with three fours and two sixes.
Prolific opener Mohammad Rizwan (4) was bowled off an inside edge in the first over by Wayne Parnell but Mohammad Haris launched an astonishing counter-attack against Kagiso Rabada after being hit on the helmet with the first delivery.
Haris struck back-to-back sixes and a four to take 16 off the second over and reached 28 from just 11 balls with two fours and three sixes before being trapped lbw by Anrich Nortje.
Captain Babar Azam’s horrible tournament continued, however, with a miserable struggle to six off 15 balls before lofting a Lungi Ngidi slower ball to Rabada at mid-on and Shan Masood (2) did likewise to a Nortje slower ball with Temba Bavuma holding a simple catch.
Left-hander Mohammad Nawaz began the fightback with four fours and a straight six before being given out lbw sweeping Tabraiz Shamsi despite replays showing he bottom-edged the ball. He chose not to review the decision.
South Africa’s bowling wheels fell off dramatically in the final five overs when persistent drizzle made the ball difficult to grip. Nortje, whose first two overs cost just 10 runs, conceded 31 from his final two with no-balls and free-hits being carved over all parts of the boundary.
South Africa dropped four catches in the outfield but Tristan Stubbs and Rilee Rossouw managed to hold on to a couple of good ones to give Nortje figures of 4-41 with Rabada also conceding over ten runs per over with 1-44.
Ngidi finished with 1-32 while Shamsi, selected ahead of Keshav Maharaj as the sole spinner, returned figures of 1-36 leaving Parnell as the most economical bowler with 1-31 after bowling two overs in the Power Play and two at the end of the innings.
It is a must-win game for Pakistan who will be eliminated from semifinal contention if they lose whereas South Africa could still qualify if they lose the game but beat the Netherlands convincingly in their final match.
South Africa made two changes to their starting XI from the team which beat India by five wickets with Heinrich Klaasen replacing David Miller who is rested because of back spasms while wrist-spinner Tabraiz Shamsi replaces Keshav Maharaj as the sole specialist spinner.
SOUTH AFRICA: Quinton de Kock (wk), Temba Bavuma (capt), Rilee Rossouw, Aiden Markram, Heinrich Klaasen, Tristan Stubbs, Wayne Parnell, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje, Tabraiz Shamsi
PAKISTAN: Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Babar Azam (capt), Mohammad Haris, Shan Masood, Iftikhar Ahmed, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf, Naseem Shah.