Pakistan vs South Africa highlights, Cricket World Cup 2023: Follow live score and updates of PAK vs SA from Chennai here.
Pakistan vs South Africa highlights, Cricket World Cup 2023: South Africa survived a late comeback attempt from Pakistan to secure a thrilling one-wicket victory in Chennai, moving to the top of the table. Aiden Markram was the star of the night, scoring 91 runs, but his dismissal opened the door for Pakistan to mount a comeback. Markram was dismissed in the 41st over with South Africa still needing 21 runs to win and three wickets remaining. Over the next six overs, Shaheen Afridi and Haris Rauf, along with Mohammad Wasim Jr., maintained pressure on South Africa’s tailenders, with the former two taking a wicket each. However, with Wasim Jr. bowling his final over in the 47th over and Shaheen and Haris already finishing their spells, Keshav Maharaj had a chance to go for big shots and sealed the game with a four against Mohammad Nawaz in the 48th over.
Earlier, Babar won the toss and chose to bat first at the MA Chidambaram Stadium. Marco Jansen stifled the batters for runs early on and dismissed both of Pakistan’s openers. Babar and Mohammad Rizwan were then putting together a dangerous-looking partnership when Gerald Coetzee dismissed the latter in the 16th over. Pakistan then lost Iftikhar Ahmed as well and finally Babar fell while trying to almost scoop Shamsi just when he had got to 50. However, Shadab Khan and Saud Shakeel have since given Pakistan some momentum with a counter-attacking partnership. The pair put up 84 runs in 71 balls before Shadab fell on 43 off 36 while Shakeel went on to score a half century. Shakeel eventually fell on 52 off as many balls. Pakistan were eventually all out for 270.
Kagiso Rabada was ruled out with a back spasm while captain Temba Bavuma returns for South Africa. Pakistan, meanwhile, brought back Mohammad Nawaz in place of Usama Mir while Mohammad Wasim Jr. plays in place of Hasan Ali, who is ill. Both sides had started off their 2023 World Cup campaigns in similar fashion. Both sides won their first two matches by convincing margins before losing their third quite spectacularly. While Pakistan lost to arch-rivals and table toppers India, South Africa fell to the Netherlands in what is still arguably the biggest upset of the tournament. Since then though, the trajectories of the two sides couldn’t be more different. South Africa responded by beating England by 229 runs and Bangladesh by 149 runs. For Pakistan, though, the wheels seem to have come off. They then lost to Australia by 62 runs and Afghanistan by eight wickets.
Here are some key pointers related to the PAK vs SA World Cup 2023 match:
- Pakistan won the toss and chose to bat first
- Babar and Rizwan put up 48 runs after Marco Jansen dismissed both openers
- Babar eventually fell upon reaching his half century while Rizwan fell on 31 off 27
- Saud Shakeel and Shadab Khan then staged a counter-attack, scoring 84 in 71 balls for the 6th wicket
- South Africa are missing Kagiso Rabada, who is suffering from a back spasm
