South Africa v Pakistan, 2nd ODI: Misbah-ul-Haq leads Pakistan to impressive victory

[Strike!]

Result: Pakistan won by 6 wickets

Toss:
South Africa won the toss and elected to bat

Teams:

Pakistan
Nasir Jamshed, Mohammad Hafeez, Younis Khan,Misbah-ul-Haq, Shoaib Malik, Kamran Akmal†, Shahid Afridi, Umar Gul, Saeed Ajmal, Junaid Khan, Mohammad Irfan


South Africa
GC Smith, HM Amla, CA Ingram, AB de Villiers, F du Plessis, F Behardien, R McLaren, RJ Peterson, , KJ Abbott, LL Tsotsobe, DW Steyn


South African innings

After the nightmare of their defeat in the 1st ODI, Pakistan knew that they had to fight back hard in the second game to make sure the series stayed alive and fight they did with a devastating spell of pure and unadulterated fast bowling by Mohammed Irfan.

After a brief spell of some dominance by South African openers, Pakistani bowlers too charge of the proceedings with Irfan taking took two wickets off two in his third over - the second wicket of Ingram being referred to the third umpire after not initially being given.

Irfan struck again in his next over to get the prize wicket of the captain to reduce South Africa to 35/4. De villiers tried to guide the ball past the slips but instead ended up edging it in the safe hands of Younis Khan.

Smith was the next man to go edging one behind trying to play the pull shot. The boundaries kept flowing between the wickets as South Africa reached 62 for 4. Mohammad Irfan bowled a brute of a bouncer to get a caught and bowled off Faf du Plesis.

Behardien and Mclaren came together to keep the scoreboard ticking, Making a partnership of 44 before Mclaren was given LBW to Hafeez. Behardien and Peterson continued to milk spinners during the middle overs. Putting the bad balls away and rotating strike easily. Behardien eventually reached his maiden 50 in ODI's soaking up the pressure exerted by Pakistan. His innings soon came to an end when he tried to pull one over the boundary finding the fielder instead.

Rain interrupted soon after which meant that the match would be reduced to 44 overs a side. Pakistani bowlers then mopped up the rest of the South African wickets in a hurry, with the home side managing to get to just 191 before being bowled out.

Fall of wickets
1-26 (Amla, 4.2 ov)
2-26 (Ingram, 4.3 ov)
3-35 (de Villiers, 6.2 ov)
4-43 (Smith, 7.5 ov)
5-62 (du Plessis, 10.6 ov)
6-106 (McLaren, 20.3 ov)
7-173 (Behardien, 38.3 ov)
8-179 (Abbott, 39.1 ov)
9-191 (Steyn, 42.6 ov)
10-191 (Peterson, 43.2 ov)


Pakistan innings

Pakistan started off cautiously before Nasir Jamshed edged one to slips. They then took the unusual step of promoting Kamran up the order to try and quicken the run rate.

South Africa were on top as Hafeez and Kamran departed in successive overs. Hafeez fell to Steyn, His tormentor in the test series. Kamran Akmal went soon after getting bowled trying to play the cut shot.

Misbah and Younis came together to string a partnership of 46 to rescue Pakistan, Both played a cautious and patience innings to make sure Pakistan would not collapse.

Younis got caught at deep square leg on a full toss. Pakistan were still uncertain at 115/4 but a solid knock from both Misbah and Malik would ensure that Pakistan would get home comfortably with balls to spare.

Misbah's 21st 50 and his first against South Africa saw him lead his team to a comfortable victory over South Africans and may go some way in answering his critics

Fall of wickets
1-29 (Nasir Jamshed, 7.5 ov)
2-63 (Mohammad Hafeez, 13.2 ov)
3-69 (Kamran Akmal, 14.3 ov)
4-115 (Younis Khan, 25.4 ov)

Summary

Mohammad Irfan led the way taking early wickets with the new ball to stifle South Africa. Behardien and Peterson were the only two batsmen who managed to bring South Africa's total to some respectability. A rain interruption meant that the match would be reduced to 44 overs a side.

Pakistani batting looked uncomfortable at the start but with the calmness and solidity of Misbah and Younis at the crease, Pakistan comfortably got over the line with plenty of overs to spare.

The visitors now need to take this momentum to the rest of the games but the fitness of Irfan - there main weapon today - will be of concern and may well decide the final outcome of this series

[AZulfi]

Although Pakistan's batting did an adequate job today, the victory was really set up by Irfan and co.

Nevertheless a captain's knock by Misbah. well-played

UA needs to come in place of Kamran Akmal in the next game

[saiyan0312]

Two things this victory should not hide

A. Misbah was very defensive as a captain during bowling and they should never have reached 190.

B. the batting is not good enough to chase large targets... i hope umer and shafiq is played in the next ODI...

Good chasing though... In chasing small targets misbah must have bradman like stats.

Congrats on winning.

[soso_killer]

Misbah haters where you at?

[Pete Rose]

Good job. Although I am disappointed (but not surprised) with yk and hafeez.
Tactically one thing to remember is that Farhaan is clueless against spin.

[aliahad]

Good job by Pakistan, I just want to know why we only call Pakistan unpredictable, with today's performance by SAffer's, I also call them unpredictable after the trashing they give to Pakistan in the first ODI. It shows that unpredictability comes with the game not just with the team.

[MRSN]

good win but YK with his 30 has booked his place for Champions trophy now at the expense of a talented youngster...that was the only sad part of this win..

[hasanmehmoodkhan]

good win by pakistan , I think we need to give umar a chance this series regardless. Maybe he can take the gloves from his brother and come in his place

[khalil1986]

Originally Posted by MRSN good win but YK with his 30 has booked his place for Champions trophy now at the expense of a talented youngster...that was the only sad part of this win..

True but good thing with Akmal notching up another failure we should soon see the end of this sorry excuse of a cricketer

[MRSN]

Originally Posted by khalil1986 True but good thing with Akmal notching up another failure we should soon see the end of this sorry excuse of a cricketer

Kamran has to be back in form if we are to have any chance in Champions trophy.

[Asif321]

all credit to irfan .............

[imranraf]

Irfan single-handedly setup this win. Great performance by him. Batsmen did ok with a short target. Misbah, Shoaib Malik played very good. Very good and much needed victory in South Africa. South African seems like a very bad losers. The moment things start going bad for them, they start showing with bad looks, bad attitudes. I loved it when Shoaib hit Tstosbe for four fours, Tostosbe kept talking to Shoaib. Shoaib just ignored him and hit him for four fours. Way to go.

[saiyan0312]

Kamran has to be back in form if we are to have any chance in Champions trophy.

any chance of losing you mean right??

Irfan single-handedly setup this win. Great performance by him. Batsmen did ok with a short target. Misbah, Shoaib Malik played very good. Very good and much needed victory in South Africa. South African seems like a very bad losers. The moment things start going bad for them, they start showing with bad looks, bad attitudes. I loved it when Shoaib hit Tstosbe for four fours, Tostosbe kept talking to Shoaib. Shoaib just ignored him and hit him for four fours. Way to go.

Not malik fan but he had the right idea and he showed totsobe his place...
Yep saffers are really sore losers...

[sohaib anwer]

Our Bowlers performed exceptionally well as usual , got 10 wickets for low score, then our batting part comes, openers failed to perform as usual , then rest of the batsmen making 30s and walking back to pavilion with a strike rate of 60 but pakistan slowly and surely reaching towards the total and pakistan finally won, IDK but middle part of pakistan batting is so booooring none batsmen tried to play with authority, it made me feel like pulling out my hair!

[sohaib anwer]

i'm happy but i'll be more happy if pakistan chases anything aroung 300!

[Down2Earth]

Winning is what matters. Two stupid shots to entertain kids would have cost us the match

[sohaib anwer]

I didnt mean entertaining cricket, i meant positive cricket, i didnt like when dale steyn was showing off and sledging pak batsmen and our batsmen did not repond well, in SA vs Eng test series dale steyn was bowling at 150+ and sledged Kevin Peiterson, then KP hooked him pulled him , came down the wicket and played lofted shots and then steyn literally looked like 'MOUSE'

[Ryankhan]

Originally Posted by sohaib anwer Our Bowlers performed exceptionally well as usual , got 10 wickets for low score, then our batting part comes, openers failed to perform as usual , then rest of the batsmen making 30s and walking back to pavilion with a strike rate of 60 but pakistan slowly and surely reaching towards the total and pakistan finally won, IDK but middle part of pakistan batting is so booooring none batsmen tried to play with authority, it made me feel like pulling out my hair!

Seriously same here. Although we won but watching them play a odi like a test match sucks big time. I wish Umer akmal and Asad gets to play the next game, no point in playing malik and kamran akmal. we should look at the future and asad and umer should get next games to play or else they wont know what its like to play in SA pitches. Especially umer akmal, he should get a game

[DHONI183]

A great win for Pakistan. Mohammad Irfan´s early blows meant that South Africa were always lagging behind.

Given that the run-rate was not quite an issue, it was the perfect situation for Misbah-ul-Haq to do what he did - guide the team calmly to a victory. I find it amazing how he plays out a zillion dot balls and then out of nowhere hits a six.

If he is going to play anyway, then why not be happy that Shoaib Malik is doing well and wish him all the best?