Google News ICC World Cup 2023| 26th match: SA shattered PAK chances of qualifying to the top 4
by ARYAN LAKHANI
All Pakistani fans must be disheartened after Pakistan lost a close match to South Africa. Team Pakistan won the toss today and elected to bat first. The openers in the 1st innings got caught in an early collapse as Jansen was absolutely on fire – he was successful in taking crucial wickets today that put a lot of pressure on Pakistan.
Babar Azam and Saud Shakeel played fine knocks; it is Shadab Khan and Mohammed Nawaz who should get credit for allowing the country to secure a respectable total. Watch the entire match highlights on the official ICC World Cup website: https://www.cricketworldcup.com/video/3755077
After the opening and middle order collapsed, the lower order did a fabulous job in claiming a target of 270 runs (270-10); Pakistan got bowled out in 46.4 overs.
South Africa had to chase 271 runs. South Africa's opening pair wasn't any better; the early collapse put more pressure on the middle over. Aiden Markram played the best but, in the end, displayed an immature shot that nearly cost South Africa the match.
Pakistan fought really hard, but DRS/Umpire call did not support their strong efforts. Due to which, South Africa claimed a thrilling 1 wicket win and sit at the top of the points table. Pakistan's chances of qualifying to the top 4 are very slim now.
Post match interviews
Temba Bavuma (South Africa's Captain):
"It is chaos at the moment," Bavuma said as quoted by cricbuzz.com. "The guys are enjoying the moment. The guys are picking up Shamsi. Chaos at the moment. Nail-biting finish, if you are a South African fan, you will be happy.
Pressure with us chasing, we haven't done well to rectify that. It will be easier to have those conversations especially after the win. You need to have the guys in the best situations and truly speak out as to what they were thinking.
Hard to say now but those conversations will happen. It is something we have spoken and something which has been thrown about. We have a blueprint when we bat first, we can't say with conviction we have that when we are chasing.
We want to be a lot more clinical with the bat. That's nice to hear. KG (Rabada) is good, it was more precautionary, he is experiencing lower back issues and a couple of days rest before New Zealand and he will be in contention.
Ecstatic for Shamsi, started with the ball, came in when conditions were helpful and then with the bat. We have seen Shamsi gloating on social media about his batting. It won't stop for the next two weeks but it's nice for a senior guy like Shamsi to come out with the bat like that".
Babar Azam (Pakistan's captain)
"We are very close, we did not finish well," Azam said as quoted by cricbuzz.com. "Very disappointing for the whole team. We fought back very well. In the batting we were 10-15 short. The fast bowlers and spinners fought well but unfortunately it was not to be.
It is part of the game, in DRS it is part of the game. Had he given it out, it would have favored us. We have an opportunity to win this and stay in the race but not to be. We will try our best in the next 3 matches and put our efforts and play for Pakistan. Let's see where we will stand after that".