Excellent innings from Umar Akmal and Mohammad Hafeez as well as some quality death bowling gives Pakistan a series-levelling victory in Cape Town.

by Pakpassion Staff (22nd November 2013)

Toss: Pakistan won the toss and chose to bat.

Teams:

Pakistan: 1 Nasir Jamshed, 2 Ahmed Shehzad, 3 Mohammad Hafeez (C), 4 Sohaib Maqsood, 5 Umar Amin, 6 Umar Akmal (WK), 7 Shahid Afridi, 8 Sohail Tanvir, 9 Bilawal Bhatti, 10 Junaid Khan, 11 Saeed Ajmal

South Africa:1 Hashim Amla, 2 Quinton de Kock (WK), 3 JP Duminy, 4 AB de Villiers, 5 Faf du Plessis (C), 6 David Miller, 7 D Wiese, 8 Dale Steyn, 9 Morne Morkel, 10 Aaron Phangiso, 11 Wayne Parnell
 

Pakistan decided to drop Anwar Ali after a disappointing performance in the 1st T20I and bring Ajmal back in the team – the intention clearly to ensure a victory at all costs. What that will do for Anwar Ali’s confidence in the future is moot but Pakistan really need to think about this policy.

Shehzad and Jamshed strode onto the field. They dealt well with Steyn with Shehzad in particular hitting a memorable six off him but disaster awaited Shehzad as he was caught in the slips by Amla in the next over off Parnell’s first delivery. Was it the relief of seeing off Steyn or was it Parnell’s skills is not clear but Pakistan lost an important wicket at a time when they were looking to exert their authority. Captain Mohammad Hafeez then walked in to try and get them going again. He played a few dot balls but then opened up with a six off a free hit by Parnell – signaling his intent to make a game of it. Jamshed who had been playing within himself decided to risk all against Phangiso and was comprehensively stumped. 

Hafeez on the other hand was racing along - he added 2 sixes to his tally and then Umar Akmal also chipped in with another, with both batsmen being severe on Phangiso. Hafeez brought up his 50 in 34 balls but Umar Akmal was now matching his captain in striking South African bowlers to all parts of the ground. His confidence showing in one over from Morkel where both players took 22 runs with a combination of 4s and 6s! A target of 160 looked very likely but would Pakistan be able to keep the momentum up for the last few overs?

Umar Akmal also completed his half century but the introduction of Steyn saw the fall of Hafeez for a well made 63 after a 102 run partnership. Pakistan were well placed at that point for big score - and Afridi was expected to play his role in putting the game beyond South Africa's reach. The woeful fan of Afridi would not allow him to continue the work Hafeez had commenced but with the help of some luck, he supported Akmal to get Pakistan to 176 in their 20 overs. Akmal was out in the last over but he had done his job coming in today at No 3 for Pakistan.


Fall Of Wickets

1-25 Ahmed Shehzad, 4.1 ov,
2-44 Nasir Jamshed, 7.2 ov, 
3-146 Mohammad Hafeez, 16.3 ov,
4-172 Umar Akmal, 19.4 ov,

 

Captain Hafeez opted to open the bowling, but was unable to prevent a bright start by the South Africans, as Amla and de Kock scored 53 in the first six Powerplay overs. However, it wasn't the off-spinner but Sohail Tanvir who leaked the runs, conceding 24 runs from his two overs, Amla doing the damage by plundering four fours off the left-arm seamer. 

It was Shahid Afridi who broke the opening partnership, de Kock (26) sweeping to deep fine leg in the eighth over as Jamshed slid forward to take a good catch. Faf du Plessis followed soon after, scoring just six runs as Hafeez took an even better catch diving forward in the deep off Shahid Afridi. 

South Africa were 72/2 at the half way stage, needing 10 runs per over with a well-set Amla and AB de Villers at the crease. AB de Villiers (13) was the next to go, bowled by Shahid Afridi, who had taken all three wickets at this stage and South Africa were struggling to 87/3 in the 12th over. 

Sandwiched between the spinners bowling in the middle overs was a wonderful spell by the impressive Bilawal Bhatti, who bowled 4 overs for 19 in a period in which South Africa, with wickets in hand, would have looked to accelerate. Not afraid of slipping in the short ball, he challenged the South Africa side at their own game and came out on top as the batsmen struggled against his pace and mix of yorkers, the 17th over going for just six. 

Amla (48) departed trying to accelerate the innings, but managed only to hit a legside delivery down the throat of that man Bhatti in the deep. 

South Africa came into the final three overs needing 51 runs, and Ajmal's final over, the 18th, went for 15 as Duminy hit a six as the spinner dropped short, and a four drilled through extra cover. Junaid was selected to bowl the penultimate over and conceded 19, with Duminy collecting two fours and Miller a huge six over cover. 

That left Sohail Tanvir to defend 17 from the final over. The left-armer redeemed himself after his poor opening spell by bowling a succession of well-directed full deliveries to seal the match for Pakistan. 


Fall Of wickets
1-58 de Kock, 7.1 ov,
2-70 du Plessis, 9.4 ov,
3-87 de Villiers, 11.4 ov,
4-117 Amla, 15.3 ov

 

A good all-round effort by captain Mohammad Hafeez, who scored 63, bowled three overs and took a brilliant catch to dismiss Faf du Plessis. Shahid Afridi (3-28), Saeed Ajmal (1-30) and the frugal Bilawal (4-19) were the pick of the bowlers, topped off by an outstanding fielding effort ended a very professional display. Umar Akmal will be pleased to have shown a bit of form ahead of the ODI series, with a tidy day behind the stumps and played the innings of the match with 64 off just 37 balls.

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