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Pakistan sans megastars defeat SAfrica |
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August 24, 2000
SINGAPORE (AP) - Pakistan marched into the final of the Singapore Challenge 2000 triangular cricket series Wednesday, snatching a thrilling 28-run victory over South Africa at the Kallang ground. The result turns the last league game of the tournament between New Zealand and South Africa on Friday into a virtual semifinal, with the winner to clash with Pakistan in a summit showdown on Sunday. Pakistan showed remarkable all-around depth in successfully defending a modest score of 227 for nine. Pakistan's win was even sweeter because they were handicapped by the absence of Shahid Afridi, who could not bowl due to a cut on his left palm. The South Africans did well to restrict Pakistan to well under the 250-run mark. Their bowlers stuck to their task in hot and humid conditions on a pitch that afforded little help. Openers Gary Kirsten and Andrew Hall then got South Africa off to a fast start with a 61-run partnership in 82 balls. Hall was caught by wicketkeeper Atiq-uz Zaman off a faint outside edge off the bowling of Azhar Mahmood, who was able to generate some late swing. Kirsten nudged the ball into the gaps and put the odd shot away to the boundary to keep the momentum going. Jacques Kallis, who appeared to be intent on defense, was also removed by Mahmood, who had him caught behind. The turning point of the match came when Kirsten was run out by a direct hit from Imran Nazir. With Daryll Cullinan getting hopelessly bogged down, it was left to Lance Klusener to take risks. The hard-hitting all-rounder struck a couple of glorious boundaries before having his stumps rattled by Abdur Razzaq. Cullinan's misery finally ended when he popped up a simple catch to Younis Khan at short midwicket and it reduced South Africa to 129 for five. Neil McKenzie and debutant Nic Pothas staged a remarkable rearguard action, adding 63 priceless runs for the sixth wicket, but it was not enough. After Pothas became Mahmood's third victim, South Africa lost skipper Shaun Pollock - bowled by Razzaq for no score - and Nicky Boje, run out for one, in quick succession. McKenzie was left with too much to do as Waqar Younis and Razzaq polished off the tail. Razzaq, who got the ball to reverse swing appreciably toward the later stages, finished with three for 39, which, coupled with his 47 runs with the bat, earned him the man of the match award. Earlier, Pakistan suffered a mini collapse in the middle stages after having got off to a positive start. Openers, Afridi and Nazir, added 56 runs in quick time to push South Africa on to their back foot. Nazir (36) hit two towering sixes, one each off Roger Telemachus and Pollock, and three fours in a gem of an innings. Afridi, who made 25, got a top-edge while trying to pull Telemachus and was well-caught by Gary Kirsten at deep mid-on for 25, while Nazir went for a suicidal single and was caught short of his crease by a direct underarm hit by Kirsten. Younis Khan, playing in place of Saeed Anwar, who pulled out with a knee ailment, and Yousuf Youhana were both caught behind by Pothas off Kallis to make it 81 for four. However, Razzaq and Ijaz led the recovery with a 103-run partnership. But having got to his half-century, Ijaz missed the line of a Boje delivery and was stumped by Pothas down the leg side as he lost his balance. Ijaz, who reached his fifty with a lovely pull off Telemachus, needed 75 balls for his 56. Razzaq, content to let Ijaz dominate, was run out following a misunderstanding with Mahmood after he had made 47 off 89 balls. The rest just caved in. Scoreboard in the Pakistan-South Africa one-day international at the Singapore Challenge at the Kallang ground on Wednesday: Pakistan won the toss and batted first. Pakistan Imran Nazir run out 36 Shahid Afridi c Kirsten b Telemachus 25 Younis Khan c Pothas b Kallis 1 Yousuf Youhana c Pothas b Kallis 7 Abdur Razzaq run out 47 Ijaz Ahmed st Pothas b Boje 56 Azhar Mahmood c Ntini b Boje 11 Atiq-uz Zaman c Kirsten b Pollock 9 Waqar Younis not out 4 Arshad Khan run out 0 Kabir Khan not out 3 Extras (byes 4, leg-byes 2, no-balls 7, wides 15) 28. Total:X'Vor 9 wickets in 50 overs) 227. Fall of wickets: 1/56, 2/61, 3/74, 4/81, 5/185, 6/198, 7/210, 8/218, 9/218. Bowling: Shaun Pollock 9-0-32-1, Roger Telemachus 9-0-53-1, Jacques Kallis 6-0-19-2, Makhaya Nitini 6-0-27-0, Nicky Boje 10-0-37-2, Lance Klusener 8-0-44-0, Andrew Hall 2-0-9-0. South Africa Gary Kirsten run out 54 Andrew Hall c Atiq-uz b Mahmood 26 Jacques Kallis c Atiq-uz b Mahmood 5 Daryll Cullinan c Younis Khan b Kabir 12 Lance Klusener b Razzaq 12 Neil McKenzie b Razzaq 41 Nic Pothas c (substitute) Raza b Mahmood 24 Shaun Pollock b Razzaq 0 Nicky Boje run out 1 Roger Telemachus c Atiq-uz b Waqar 1 Makhaya Ntini not out 1 Extras (byes 4, leg-byes 5, no-balls 12, wides 1) 22. Total: (all out in 48.4 overs) 199. Fall of wickets: 1/61, 2/90, 3/97, 4/123, 5/129, 6/192, 7/194, 8/195, 9/196. Bowling: Waqar Younis 9-1-39-1, Kabir Khan 10-0-46-1, Azhar Mahmood 10-1-37-3, Arshad Khan 10-0-29-0, Abdur Razzaq 9.4-0-39-3. Pakistan won by 28 runs Man of the match: Abdur Razzaq. |