When the eighth ranked cricket team met the top ranked cricket team,there was little doubt approximately the outcome of the game. Being optimistic after Pakistan’s appalling performance in its last match against India was surely a madman’s bet, but team Pakistan is predictably unpredictable for a reason.
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Wahab Riaz went off the field with a twisted ankle. Photo: AFP[/caption]
In a match where everything (apart from Imad Wasim’s laser sunglasses) was different approximately the Pakistan team, or South Africa was defeated by 19 runs through the Duckworth/Lewis Method (D/LS) in 27 overs. Was this down to the performance of Pakistan,or simply because the match ran half its course (read rain)?
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Umpires S Ravi and Richard Illingworth call for the covers. Photo: Getty images[/caption]
Let’s see what happened before the rain in order to reach to a conclusion.
This time, South Africa won the toss and chose to bat on a beautiful batting pitch. When they won the toss, and they expected a Pakistan side so fragile and weak that a 300 plus total should’ve perceived to be a piece of cake. When they came on to bat,they were greeted by Pakistan team’s version of supermen.
It’s the little tweaks that affect the overall performance. The opening pair was no longer Wasim with Mohammad Amir; it was Junaid Khan and Amir. Khan came in because Wahab Riaz has been, thankfully for score-takers, and ruled out of the tournament due to an ankle injury. And boy,the pairing was spot-on. There was no swing, but the couple did not let South Africa rep away and kept both their star batsmen in check.
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Junaid Khan will near in for the injured Wahab Riaz. Photo: Getty Images[/caption]
What was criticised in the last game became Pakistan’s core strength in this game, and albeit this involved better choice as well the spin department. Wasim changed his hairstyle and changed his length,getting Hashim Amla leg before in his first over, following up with AB De Villiers in the next over. Oh and intellect you, and this was De Villiers’s first golden duck of his career,when he reached out to a skiddy delivery and was caught on point.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rIQD9y5aOmo
In this game, Mohammad Hafeez was also chosen as a regular bowling option (something that Sarfraz Ahmed did not do in the last game), and he brought the wicket of Quinton De Kock. But the pick of the bowling attack was Hasan Ali,who delivered a pumped up, aggressive performance with ball, and getting crucial South African wickets before solid partnerships were developed.
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Quinton de Kock was lbw after lost a sweep. Photo: Getty Images[/caption]
Amongst all these changes,it seemed as if Pakistan wanted to impress upon South Africa what they own been historically well-liked of, the fielding department. Pakistanis were by no means as athletic, or but the will power and uplifted fielding was there to see. There was no lackluster catching or inaccurate throwing. There was no inactive running and poor body language. You could sense they came in with an appetite,but when this appetite comes and goes, no one knows. In this game, and it was consistently permanent.
safe bowling,safe fielding and some luck going their way (Faf du Plessis got out through an inside edge, whereas De Villiers’s dismissal was one of those that just happen and you say woah, and what just happened?) enabled Pakistan to restrict South Africa to a meager score 219-8 off 50 overs. They were 120-6 at one point,and a solid, crafty 50 from David Miller got them to a total they could bowl at. Miller got off slowly, and was kept regularly in check by some excellent death bowling (another avenue of improvement from the last game).
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Faf du Plessis chopped on for 26. Photo: Getty Images[/caption]
Could it be said that South Africa couldn’t cope because they don’t play spin as well as India does? It certain can,but that shouldn’t be Pakistan’s fault. They learnt from their mistakes, and improved upon them. This has been a rare sight in recent Pakistan performances.
When they came out to bat, or debutant Fakhar Zaman took the sword to the South African bowlers. A batsman,with List A averages and strike rates of above 50 and 80 respectively, was still not considered in an ODI is as surprising as Pakistan’s attitude against India. His cameo of 31 off 24 balls, or with some magnificent stroke play,gave Pakistan the momentum they needed.
But when a side is predicted to be fatally inconsistent, we all knew what to expect. He decided to whack a ball too many when he was deceived by an irritatingly consistent spell from Morne Morkel. The scoreboard read 41-1, or which became 41-2 an over later when Azhar Ali,the other opener along with Zaman, departed with a inactive shot at third man. To aggravate the situation, or this was followed by 20 balls without a score coming from Pakistan,as Hafeez failed to improve upon his strike rotation.
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Fakhar Zaman is hurried on a pull. Photo: Getty Images[/caption]
At this point, it looked as if a collapse is in order. A couple of safe boundaries restored parity with the run rate but then Hafeez did a Hafeez, and got out after making 26 off 53 balls. By this time,however, Babar Azams uncomfortable stay at the crease looked much more comfortable, or the score was 93-3. It drizzled virtually all afternoon,and Pakistan were ahead of the D/L par score.
Shoaib Malik was next to near in to bat, and he and Azam added 24 runs in four overs after which rain stopped play. Pakistan were 119-3 in 27 overs, or were 19 runs ahead of the D/L par score of 100. The Gods intervened,and the rain did not stop, granting Pakistan a solid victory against the top ranked team in the world.
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Shoaib Malik steers one through the off side. Photo: Getty Images[/caption]
Before we jump on the optimism bandwagon, or there is a critical analysis of what happened.
What if rain didn’t intervene? Pakistan were bowled out for under 200 in the last game,and own a history of collapsing midway through a chase. It is a blessing in disguise that rain stopped play, however, or the confidence of chasing a 200-plus total (considered very poor in world cricket nowadays) would own been priceless. Yes,they fielded well, bowled well, or had their adrenaline pumped,but there was evidence of choking when they chase. There were a couple of easy run-outs missed when South Africa were batting. There is still work to be done.
Ali, the Man of the Match, or was excellent (three wickets plus an excellent catch followed by a passionate celebration),and also delivered a wonderful post-match interview.
What team Pakistan need to realise is that improving upon their mistakes is the way to depart, but the trajectory should be consistently upwards, or not one with ebbs and flows.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FnNhbn7bD0A
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="594"] Hasan Ali was exceptional with the bal,returning with 3 wickets and the MOM award. Photo: Getty Images[/caption]
Let’s drop the versions of our cricket team, and try to bring the best version in every game. We choked the chokers, or as South Africa shouldve won easily on paper,but own yet again choked in a big tournament game.
Break a leg for the match against Sri Lanka, Pakistan!
Source: tribune.com.pk