Pakistan lose series T20 series against South Africa 2-0 after lower order collapse.

Toss: South Africa won the toss and chose to bat

 

Teams:

Pakistan: 1 Ahmed Shehzad, 2 Nasir Jamshed, 3 Shahid Afridi, 4 Mohammad Hafeez (capt), 5 Sohaib Maqsood, 6 Umar Akmal (wk), 7 Shoaib Malik, 8 Abdul Razzaq, 9 Sohail Tanvir, 10 Saeed Ajmal, 11 Mohammad Irfan

South Africa:1 Hashim Amla, 2 Quinton de Kock, 3 H Davids, 4 AB de Villiers (capt & wk), 5 Faf du Plessis, 6 David Miller, 7 Ryan McLaren, 8 Dale Steyn, 9 Imran Tahir, 10 Lonwabo Tsotsobe, 11 Wayne Parnell

Facing criticism for his team selection, the embattled Mohammad Hafeez brought in Nasir Jamshed into the line-up but today he had other problems to worry about. For starters, de Kock started off where he left in the previous game - unfettered disdain for all that Pakistani bowlers could throw at him. Razzaq in particular was treated with a salvo of boundaries and then as if to add insult to injury, Mohammad Irfan had to leave the field with an injury - leaving Malik to complete his over.

de Kock and Amla continued on their merry ways against a Pakistani bowling line-up which was now bowling with the keeper standing up - oh how the greats of the Pakistani fast bowling hall of fame would have felt watching this happen. Spin was introduced in the 5th over in the form of Saeed Ajmal who struck immediately removing de Kock who was threatening to take the game away from Pakistan. Sohail Tanvir and Shahid Afridi were then drafted in to put in their overs and Hafeez brought himself on to slow down the run rate. However, South Africa refused to be bogged down and the run rate climbed to almost 8 an over as Faf du Plessis and Amla were stroking the balls to all corners of the ground. The Pakistani fielding was not helping the cause either as Afridi dropped Amla off his own bowling and the wheels were threatening to come off in spectacular fashion.

The hundred of the Proteas innings came up in the 13th over. A score of 150+ was a distinct possibility and introduction of Malik brought no relief to Pakistan as Amla who had gained confidence after a scratchy start was also finding his rhythm, but the guile of Saeed Ajmal induced a false stroke from the strident Amla. Pakistan's reward for this wicket was the arrival of AB de Villiers who did not last too long as he was out for 5 - Sohail Tanvir picking up his wicket against.

Pakistan had somehow clawed their way back into the game but the captain of the South African squad, du Plessis brought up his fifty in the 18th over. Saeed Ajmal then struck again in his final over as he had Miller lbw in the 19th over. The spin king picked up three important wickets for 25 runs. Sohail Tanvir who had looked ordinary up to that point in the game then bowled probably the best over of the game by a fast bowler as he gave away just 3 runs in the final over picking up Davids for 0 - South Africa thus ending with 150/5 - the target a daunting 151 for Pakistan

Fall Of Wickets

1-37 (de Kock, 4.4 ov),
2-115 (Amla, 14.4 ov),
3-137 (de Villiers, 17.2 ov)

The Pakistani openers strode out looking to redeem themselves but they knew the challenge was massive. With memories of Steyn's destruction in the first T20 fresh in the mind, there was bound to be some apprehension and it showed as Steyn bowled a maiden over to start the proceedings. Shehzad and Jamshed then combined together in a solid 39 partnership at 7.54 runs an over before Shehzad played one shot too many to Parnell. Hafeez then walked in and was immediately subject to a terrible lbw decision from the Pakistani umpire. Nasir Jamshed then decided to match the umpire in competency by playing a ball which was on its way to being called a wide to Amla. Pakistan were 3 down in the 7th over before Sohaib Maqsood walked in.

Combining with Shoaib Malik, Maqsood then played some scintillating shots and with both players willing to take quick singles, started to rebuild the innings. In particular the straight six off Parnell by Maqsood will stay in many a memory for people in the UAE. However, Malik's encouraging stay at the wicket came to an abrupt stop as he had to retire hurt. In came the first T20I top scorer Umar Akmal and the run chase was truly in high gear. Maqsood's stroke making ability was impressing everyone and in Umar Akmal he had a partner who could help him achieve the goal of taking Pakistan to victory as Pakistan needed just 58 runs off 45 balls.

However, as we have seen on many occasions, enthusiasm got the better of Umar Akmal - after playing a fantastic shot in the covers for four he undid the hard work by playing a strange looking hook shot off McLaren to give his wicket away. This brought Malik back who had left the field due to injury earlier and he continued supporting Maqsood. The possibility of a victory very likely at this stage but there was hard work to be done with 46 needed off 36 balls. At this point, disaster struck for Pakistan, as Imran Tahir in final over induced an inside edge to bowl Malik for an enterprising 15 off 18 balls. Abdul Razzaq then showed the world why he had not been picked for the Pakistani team when he shouldered arms to the last ball of Tahir's over - only to be clean bowled by a well-pitched googly.

Out came Afridi and common sense took a back seat. It had to - Pakistan were teetering on the edge of a shocking defeat. But it was the calm Maqsood who then departed on the next ball and Pakistan had lost 3 wickets in 3 balls. Sohail Tanvir had a good day with the ball - could he help Afridi take Pakistan over the finish line? With 34 off 24 runs balls to go, Steyn came back into the attack.

Sohail Tanvir has been known to have ability with the bat and he did show glimpses of those skills but that pipe dream did not last long as he was bowled by Dale Steyn. The forlorn figure of Saeed Ajmal walked in - the look on his face almost imploring the Pakistani batting order to do their job like he had done his.

Ajmal then made sure that Shahid Afridi would be able to retain strike - Pakistan's hopes relying on Afridi and he obliged by hitting a flamboyant six to bring the run rate within striking distance. He then lost his wicket in the next over - Faf du Plessis taking an excellent catch. A hobbling Mohammad Irfan then walked in to help Ajmal do the impossible but the task was beyond the capabilities of both.


Fall Of wickets

1-39 (Ahmed Shehzad, 5.1 ov),
2-39 (Mohammad Hafeez, 5.2 ov),
3-46 (Nasir Jamshed, 6.3 ov),
4-101 (Umar Akmal, 13.3 ov),
5-112 (Shoaib Malik, 14.5 ov),
6-112 (Abdul Razzaq, 14.6 ov),
7-112 (Sohaib Maqsood, 15.1 ov),
8-121 (Sohail Tanvir, 16.3 ov),
9-139 (Shahid Afridi, 18.4 ov)
 

Another disappointment for Hafeez and another let down for Pakistan against South Africa. A good start to the innings betrayed by some questionable shot selection, South Africa looking like the deserved winners of this series but will have further opportunities to inflict damage on Pakistan in the return limited overs series later this month.

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