South Africa have notched up consecutive wins to start off their World Cup campaign, as they narrowly made it past Pakistan.
A tense 6-run victory in a game that ebbed and flowed has provided a much-needed early confidence boost.
READ: Proteas squeeze out defendable 223
With 224 to chase, Pakistan had a challenge on offer. Openers Nahida Khan and Sidra Ameen got off to a decent start, staying in sync with the run rate in the first 6 overs.
The tables turned – not for the first time –when Shabnim Ismail claimed the wickets of Sidra Ameen and skipper Bismah Maroof in successive deliveries. Ameen fenced one to slip, while Maroof chipped one to short cover. Both were key inroads that would push Pakistan back.
It was time to repair the innings, and Nahida found a stable partner in Omaima Sohail. Both batters consolidated well, and cashed in on available boundary opportunities every so often.
Omaima was in fine touch, as she deftly used the pace of the seamers to pick up fours whenever runs seemed to dry up.
Despite containing Pakistan’s scoring rate, the South Africans needed another wicket to halt the solid rearguard.
The 69-run stand finally came to an end when the ever-so-reliable Ayabonga Khaka trapped Nahida plumb in front of middle and leg.
Fortunately for Pakistan, the experienced Nida Dar arrived at #5, and that spurred another resolute partnership in the making.
Omaima continued to dazzle, as she reached her third ODI half-century and eventually, her personal best of 65. Her innings came to an end when she holed out to deep square leg in an attempt to go for a mighty blow.
The game was far from over. Pakistan need 67 from the final 10 overs, and even though Khaka dismissed Fatima Sana to leave Pakistan 6 down, Nida Dar was never going to give up.
A critical boundary in the 46th over off Masabata Klaas, followed up with another boundary from Sidra Nawaz ensured that the target remained very much in reach. However, the game seesawed back in favour of the Proteas when Nawaz slashed a slower ball to backward point.
Nida brought up a vital 50 in the antepenultimate over, as the target became 22 from 12. Consecutive boundaries from Diana Baig in the very next over brought newfound hope, and the Proteas were in trouble.
The game took another twist when Nida failed to make her ground when attempting to come back for a second run, but there still was some more unfinished business. Diana Baig was still present and was facing the first ball of the final over from Shabnim Ismail.
10 runs were required. After running a brisk double on the first ball, Diana skied one straight up, and it took an unbelievable bit of alertness and athleticism from Ismail to take a fantastic caught-and-bowled.
Ghulam Fatima was run out three deliveries later, sealing the deal for South Africa. It may not have been the most fluent performance, but an excellent recovery with both bat and ball took them over the line. The fielding had plenty of question marks, as there were multiple dropped catches and miscommunications, but the platform has now been set.
Ismail was, deservingly, the Player of the Match, with her early double strike and brave final over proving very instrumental for the Proteas’ victory.
SA 223/9 in 50 overs
Pak 217 in 49.5 overs (Omaima 65, Nida 55 – Ismail 9.5-1-42-3, Khaka 10-1-43-2)
Photo: Dave Lintott/Shutterstock/BackpagePix
