ISLAMABAD: After initial hiccups, Pakistan finished at 185/9 after 20 overs in their do-or-die clash against South Africa on Thursday at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
Pakistan skipper Babar Azam opted to bat first against the Proteas after winning the toss. The green shirts, after suffering two defeats against India and Zimbabwe, need to win today’s match to keep their World Cup dreams alive.
Pakistan’s opening batters Mohammad Rizwan and Azam continued their poor run of form, departing for 4 and 6 runs respectively.
An impressive cameo by World Cup debutant Mohammad Haris, who smashed 28 runs from 11 balls, was cut short when he was also dismissed by Anrich Nortje.
In walked the in-form Shan Masood but in what was another massive blow for Pakistan, was dismissed for 2 runs from only 6 balls.
Iftikhar Ahmad and Mohammad Nawaz built an impressive partnership when Pakistan were reeling at 43/4. After a fifty-two-run partnership, Nawaz got out.
Shadab Khan arrived just in time to give Pakistan the boos they needed to post a defendable total on the scoreboard. The two built an 82-run partnership which helped Pakistan post 185/9 on the scoreboard.
Nortje was the pick of the South African bowlers, finishing with figures of 4/41.
Playing XI:
1. Babar Azam (capt.), 2 Mohammad Rizwan (wk), 3 Shan Masood, 4 Mohammad Haris, 5 Iftikhar Ahmed, 6 Shadab Khan, 7 Mohammad Nawaz, 8 Mohammad Wasim Jr., 9 Shaheen Shah Afridi, 10 Haris Rauf, 11 Naseem Shah.
1. Temba Bavuma (capt.), 2 Quinton de Kock (wk), 3 Rilee Rossouw, 4 Aiden Markram, 5 Heinrich Klaasen, 6 Tristan Stubbs, 7 Wayne Parnell, 8 Kagiso Rabada, 9 Anrich Nortje, 10 Lungi Ngidi, 11 Tabraiz Shamsi.
