On October 27th in Chennai, South Africa pulled off a thrilling one-wicket victory with 16 balls to spare against Pakistan in a nail-biting encounter, securing their place at the top of the table.
Aiden Markram’s impressive 91-run performance for South Africa shined, but his dismissal in the 41st over provided Pakistan with an opening for a comeback. With South Africa still requiring 21 runs and just three wickets left, tension mounted. Over the following six overs, Shaheen Afridi and Haris Rauf, supported by Mohammad Wasim Jr., maintained pressure, each claiming a crucial wicket.
However, with Wasim Jr. concluding his spell in the 47th over and both Shaheen and Haris done, Keshav Maharaj capitalized on the opportunity to finish the game, smashing a decisive four against Mohammad Nawaz in the 48th over.
Earlier, Pakistan’s captain Babar Azam, won the toss and elected to bat. The South African bowler, Marco Jansen, posed a significant challenge to the Pakistani openers, claiming both their wickets. Babar and Mohammad Rizwan then established a promising partnership, which was broken by Gerald Coetzee in the 16th over when he dismissed Rizwan.
Pakistan faced further setbacks as Iftikhar Ahmed fell, and later, Babar Azam departed after reaching a half-century, attempting an unconventional shot against Shamsi. However, Shadab Khan and Saud Shakeel mounted a counter-attacking partnership, adding 84 runs in 71 balls. Shadab contributed 43 runs off 36 balls before his dismissal, while Shakeel reached a half-century before being dismissed with 52 runs from as many deliveries. Pakistan eventually wrapped up their innings with 270 runs.
Last Updated on October 27, 2023
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