The Pakistan squad is showing the kind of resilience that Imran Khan’s lineup in 1992 needed to win the World Cup title.
This time the comeback is on Misbah-ul-Haq’s watch, the veteran batsman holding firm again as Pakistan beat South Africa on Saturday by 29 runs at Eden Park in Auckland under the Duckworth-Lewis system for rain-affected games.
Pakistan lost their first two matches by big margins, but have now won three in a row heading into their last group match against Ireland. In 1992, the last time the World Cup was cohosted by Australia and New Zealand, Pakistan rallied from a series of losses and a lucky wash-out in the group stage to win the title against expectations.
After losing the toss and being set in to bat in Auckland, Pakistan scored just 222 in their rain-shortened innings, with Misbah scoring a half century, and seemed to be headed for defeat against a South Africa lineup who had posted 400-plus totals in their two previous outings.
South African — needing 232 to win in a revised target from 47 overs — raced to 67-1 after nine overs, but then collapsed, losing five wickets for 35 runs.
A.B. de Villiers stroked 77 off 58 deliveries in a rearguard innings, but it was not quite enough as the team were all out for 202.
Pakistan wicketkeeper Sarfraz Ahmed had a stunning performance in which he took a world-record equaling six catches and also scored 49 runs.
Sarfraz was only brought into the starting 11 in yesterday’s game as a replacement for struggling opener Nasir Jamshed. In their previous matches, Pakistan had relied on makeshift wicketkeeper Umar Akmal, who had dropped a number of catches, but whose batting skills were considered vital.
Pakistan might be rethinking that strategy now.
Sarfraz’s man-of-the-match performance included a spectacular one-handed catch to dismiss South Africa opener Hashim Amla, who had looked in complete control with nine boundaries in his 38 before he edged a ball.
Sarfraz was the key in what turned out to be a low-scoring, but exciting game. He opened and helped get the team off to their best start of the tournament, helping put on 30 runs for the first wicket. After a cautious start, he began to take control of the bowling, smashing three sixes in one over off J.P. Duminy.
However, in the next over, when he was on 48, Sarfraz hit the ball to backward-square and pushed for a second run to bring up his 50, but was run out by David Miller. His 49 came off as many deliveries and also included five fours.
His innings gave an early boost to a team who have been criticized for batting too slowly in the opening overs. He gave the team another reason to get excited in the field as he held catch after catch.
His six catches was the 15th time that feat has been achieved in ODIs.
IRELAND, ZIMBABWE
Ireland maintained their bid for a quarter-final berth by holding their nerve to beat Zimbabwe by just five runs in a Pool B clash in Hobart.
Their latest victory over a Test nation left Ireland as one of three teams in the group on six points behind defending champions India.
Ireland piled up 331-8 on the back of Ed Joyce’s 112 and 97 from Andrew Balbirnie at the Bellerive Oval.
That left Zimbabwe needing to set a new record by a team batting second to win a World Cup match.
Zimbabwe, who had to win to keep their quarter-final hopes alive, were in dire straits at 74-4.
However, stand-in skipper Brendan Taylor’s 121 and his fifth-wicket partnership of 149 with all-rounder Sean Williams (96) gave them hope.
They got their target down to seven off six deliveries with two wickets standing, but Alex Cusack struck twice in the final over to seal a dramatic win.
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