ICC Cricket World Cup, 29th Match, Pool B: Pakistan v South Africa at Auckland, Mar 7, 2015
Pakistan 222 (46.4/47 ov) South Africa RR 6.02
Batting PP 25/2 (3.3) RR 7.14
South Africa 202 (33.3/47 ov, target 232) Last 5 ovs 46/3 RR 9.20
Required RR 2.22
Pakistan RR 4.75
Pakistan won by 29 runs (D/L method)
Last bat Imran Tahir c †Sarfraz Ahmed b Wahab Riaz 0 (7m 6b 0x4 0x6) SR: 0.00
Fall of wicket 202/10 (33.3 ov); Partnership: 2 runs, 1.1 overs, RR: 1.71 (Imran Tahir 0, Morkel 1)
9.56 pm: This has definitely been one of the better contests between full members in this World Cup so far. AB de Villiers, who has been in wonderful form as his position at the top of the tournament run-charts suggests, did his best to try and run Pakistan close, but in the end, the pressure got to them as Wahab , Irfan and Rahat began to apply the screws with some hostile, aggressive bowling.
Pakistan have almost turned a corner from their rather dire position they had found themselves in just a week and a half go, while South Africa will feel they missed out as they kept Pakistan to a reasonable total. But, Eden Park has continued to prove to be a troubling commodity, irrespective of batting first or chasing.
And how about Sarfraz, who managed to pick up a record-breaking six wickets, along with a spirited 49, in his debut World Cup match. We hope you thoroughly enjoyed this encounter, and don't forget that we will be having a live show of Match Point, so do tune into that as well!
Till the next time though, this is Rohan Sharma signing off, and if you had half as much fun reading the commentary as I had doing it, then I had twice as much fun doing the commentary then you had reading it.
Sarfraz Ahmed, Man of the Match: (Urdu) I am very thankful to the world and Pakistan for this opportunity. I want to thank all those who supported me, including my family. This is my World Cup debut match, but Mushie bhai (Mushtaq Ahmed) had good words for me to encourage me and told me to go out and enjoy myself.
Sarfraz Ahmed is the Man of the Match for his six catches and run-a-ball 49.
Presentation ceremony:
Bit of a delay due to rains. The ceremony takes place indoors as it is pouring at Eden Park.
AB de Villiers: "We are still in a good position in the group, but I never like to lose. We were shocking with the bat. We have been under pressure many times in the last few years and come out on top. I still believe we have the right group here to lift the trophy. It wasn't easy (batting under lights). Still, a good enough wicket to chase that down, no reason we shouldn't have chased it down. "
Misbah-ul-Haq: "This is a big win for us. Sarfraz played well [others also played well]. We were 30-40 runs short, but the bowlers did their job. The bowlers went for the kill, the only chance was to get wickets and get the opposition all out. Beating South Africa, who are playing really good cricket, after that everybody believes now, the players, the team, can take a lot of confidence from it. When runs are on board, it is always pressure on the opposition."
9.34 pm And just on cue, the heavens have opened up, almost as if to celebrate this significant World Cup victory for Pakistan, who now move to 6 points alongside South Africa in Pool B. South Africa threatened to get through the chase quite easily when Amla and Faf were in the middle, but from a position of 62 for 1, they ended up crumbling to 202 thanks to some aggressive fast bowling from Pakistan
33.3
Wahab Riaz to Imran Tahir, OUT, and it is all over as Pakistan romp to a famous 29-run victory (D/L) at Eden Park! Tahir was looking to simply get bat on ball to this fast delivery outside off, before offering a chance to Sarfraz, who has now broken the record for most catches in an ODI by a Pakistani wicketkeeper, picking up the record-breaking catch with this effort
Imran Tahir c †Sarfraz Ahmed b Wahab Riaz 0 (7m 6b 0x4 0x6) SR: 0.00
33.2
Wahab Riaz to Imran Tahir, no run, round the wicket to Tahir as he gropes at this fuller length, but is late on it
33.1
Wahab Riaz to Morkel, 1 run, ramps away this short of a length outside off to third man
End of over 33 (5 runs) South Africa 201/9 (31 runs required from 14 overs, RR: 6.09, RRR: 2.21)
- Imran Tahir0 (4b 0x4 0x6)
- M Morkel5 (7b 1x4 0x6)
- Sohail Khan5-0-36-1
- Wahab Riaz7-2-44-2
SRD: "Shows the difference in approach from MSD and ABD"
32.6
Sohail Khan to Imran Tahir, no run, has a late waft at this length delivery outside of off, with this one flying through to the keeper in the end
Sarfraz has equalled the record for most catches in an ODI by a Pakistani wicketkeeper. Has picked up five so far, putting him alongside Moin Khan, Rashid Latif and Umar Akmal
32.5
Sohail Khan to Imran Tahir, no run, short ball which has Tahir bending his back to avoid the delivery
32.4
Sohail Khan to Imran Tahir, no run, how did that not strike the base of middle? delivers a wonderful yorker which is just dug out, but only at the very last moment
32.4
Sohail Khan to Imran Tahir, 1 wide, looked to glance away Sohail through fine leg, but fails to make any connection. Called wide as Sohail and the umpire feigned the appeal
32.3
Sohail Khan to Imran Tahir, no run, tries to dab one through third man, but was never really in position for the shot
Sohail was ecstatic after AB had provided the edge. Pakistan now need just the one wicket to get them to six points and in with a good chance at progression into the knockouts. Meanwhile Tahir makes his way to the middle through all this hulabaloo.
32.2
Sohail Khan to de Villiers, OUT, AB comes down the track to this short delivery, with the intention of blasting this over long on, but ends up feathering an outside edge to Sarfraz, who has been safe as houses behind the stumps. That could be the end for South Africa as AB departs for a courageous 77
AB de Villiers c †Sarfraz Ahmed b Sohail Khan 77 (111m 58b 7x4 5x6) SR: 132.75
32.1
Sohail Khan to de Villiers, FOUR, gets a thick outside edge outside off as he looked to hammer Sohail through the covers, with the resulting edge flying away to the third man boundary
End of over 32 (11 runs) South Africa 196/8 (36 runs required from 15 overs, RR: 6.12, RRR: 2.40)
- M Morkel5 (7b 1x4 0x6)
- AB de Villiers73 (56b 6x4 5x6)
- Wahab Riaz7-2-44-2
- Sohail Khan4-0-31-0
GB: "Eden park and thrillers! Can we have finals here?"
31.6
Wahab Riaz to Morkel, no run, short delivery which is dabbed down to third man, reaching the fielder after one bounce, but he was able to hold on to it despite overrunning just a touch
31.5
Wahab Riaz to de Villiers, 1 run, shows his finesses with a glide outside off through third man. Morkel back on now to face the final ball of the over
31.4
Wahab Riaz to de Villiers, FOUR, looking to attack long on, but instead gets a top-edge which flies high to deep extra-cover, with the ball having enough on it to reach the boundary after a couple of bounces
31.3
Wahab Riaz to de Villiers, no run, keeps out this back of a length from round the wicket
31.2
Wahab Riaz to de Villiers, SIX, AB is just too good. Riaz offers a low, full toss and you just can't bowl like this to him, as he smokes this high over midwicket to pick up a valuable six
31.1
Wahab Riaz to de Villiers, no run, goes round the wicket to AB as he gets away a shot through third man. Doesn't bother to run though
Riaz, who was the catalyst for this Pakistani fightback, has been thrown the ball by Misbah
End of over 31 (8 runs) South Africa 185/8 (47 runs required from 16 overs, RR: 5.96, RRR: 2.93)
- M Morkel5 (6b 1x4 0x6)
- AB de Villiers62 (51b 5x4 4x6)
- Sohail Khan4-0-31-0
- Rahat Ali8-1-40-3
Jay: "ABD's innings reminiscent of Klusener in 1999 WC, especially if SA manage to win from here"
30.6
Sohail Khan to Morkel, no run, fires in a good length which raps the top of the pads of Morne as he looked to defend
30.6
Sohail Khan to Morkel, 1 wide, bangs in a short delivery which is given a wide by the leg umpire. It's kind of funny because Wasim was asked just before what he would have done, and he specifically said not to bowl that kind of delivery, which Sohail naturally ended up doing anyways
30.5
Sohail Khan to de Villiers, 1 run, searching for the yorker as he instead offers a low, full toss down the leg side which is helped away by AB through square-leg
30.4
Sohail Khan to Morkel, 1 run, Morne pushes at this length delivery towards mid-off as he just makes his ground at the other end before the throw from the fielder. Gets AB back on strike
30.3
Sohail Khan to de Villiers, 1 run, AB elects to take the single with a blow down the ground to long on
30.2
Sohail Khan to de Villiers, FOUR, goes down the pitch before blitzing this length delivery through long on, with the mid-on fielder, who was up in the circle, running hard to his right and back to try and cut this off, before putting in a fruitless dive as this continued on to the boundary. Didn't really middle it, but if AB wants a boundary, AB gets a boundary
30.1
Sohail Khan to de Villiers, no run, allows this length delivery to go through to the keeper
Misbah turns to Sohail Khan as the equation is now 55 off 17 overs. South Africa still in with a good shout as AB is very much there and willing.
End of over 30 (9 runs) South Africa 177/8 (55 runs required from 17 overs, RR: 5.90, RRR: 3.23)
- M Morkel4 (4b 1x4 0x6)
- AB de Villiers56 (47b 4x4 4x6)
- Rahat Ali8-1-40-3
- Shahid Afridi5-0-28-0
Ram: "Common AB... only 10 more such sixes..."
29.6
Rahat Ali to Morkel, no run, gets away with an uppish strike through the off side as AB tells Morne to hang tight at his end
29.5
Rahat Ali to Morkel, FOUR, slaps away Rahat square off the wicket on the off side, much to the jubilation of the South African ranks both in the dressing room and at the ground
29.5
Rahat Ali to Morkel, 1 wide, doesn't bother to tamper with this shortish length flying through outside off stump
29.4
Rahat Ali to Morkel, no run, length delivery which is fended away softly on the leg side, as he is mindful of the close-in fielder in the vicinity
29.3
Rahat Ali to Morkel, no run, elects to leave this length delivery outside off stump
South Africa 172 for 8 as Morne Morkel makes his way to join AB
29.2
Rahat Ali to Abbott, OUT, and Rahat plucks a big wicket as Abbott feathers an outside edge to this back of a length, with Younis taking a wonderful catch at second slip as he got low to his left. That could be huge as South Africa are still adrift by 60 runs
KJ Abbott c Younis Khan b Rahat Ali 12 (26m 19b 2x4 0x6) SR: 63.15
29.1
Rahat Ali to Abbott, FOUR, easy as you like as he punches away this Rahat delivery through long off for a boundary
With that six over backward square, AB has moved to the top of the World Cup runs-scorer list, with Hashim Amla behind him at second place.
