Proteas dumped out of Tri Nations series by Pakistan

Pakistan’s cricket team has reserved their place in the final of the Tri Nations Series in between South Africa and New Zealand. The Pakistanis defeated South Africa by six wickets in their second match of the series at the National Bank Stadium in Karachi, booking their place in Friday’s final after a record run chase.

South Africa’s top order batsmen looked to impose themselves on their opponents’ bowlers after winning the toss and opting to bat. Captain Temba Bavuma and Tony de Zorzi made a solid start, putting on a 51 run opening stand before Shaeen Shah Afridi struck to remove De Zorzi for 22.

Bavuma then picked up the mantle with Mathew Breetzke. The pair dominated the middle overs, sharing in a massive 119-run second wicket partnership with both batsmen recording half centuries.

It took an excellent piece of fielding to break their stand as Bavuma was run out by Saud Shakeel with a direct hit, for 82. Breetzke who scored 150 on debut and now partnering Heinrich Klaasen continued to punish Pakistan’s bowling attack. They shared in a 68 run partnership before an outstanding catch from Salman Ali Agha had Breetzke on his way for 83.

Klaasen, with Kyle Verreynne at the other end, was also in a belligerent mood, dispatching the hosts bowlers to all parts of the ground. He smashed 87 runs from just 56 deliveries, to take the Proteas total past the 300 mark.

Verreynne and Corbin Bosch added the finishing touches to their innings. They finished unbeaten on 44 and 15 runs respectively to help lift their total to a competitive 352 for five in their 50 overs.

Pakistan’s openers Babar Azam and Fakhar Zaman got their chase off to a brisk start, racing to 56 in the first six overs. It was seamer Wiaan Mulder who made a breakthrough for the visitors, trapping Azam leg before for 23. Zaman continued to score at a prolific rate but the Proteas took two scalps in two overs.

Bosch dismissed Saud Shakeel for 15 while Mulder claimed his second, removing Zaman for 41 from just 28 deliveries leaving the hosts on 91 for three. Pakistan’s skipper Mohammad Rizwan and Ali Agha first steadied their innings and then took the fight to the tourists.

Rizwan notched up a half-century, his 16th in ODIs as the home side needed 161 runs from the last 20 overs. Ali Agha followed suit soon after with his sixth half-century, also bringing up 200 runs for his team.

As South Africa’s bowlers struggled to take wickets, the pair continued to capitalize. They extended their record fourth wicket partnership past 200 runs as Rizwan, playing a captain’s knock, went on to convert his 50 to a century.

Ali Agha also went on to record a 100, his maiden in One Day cricket. The hosts needed just 32 more runs to win from the last five overs and they made no mistake.

Ali Agha eventually departed for 134 but Tayyab Tahir scored the winning runs to secure a six-wicket victory and a berth in Friday’s final against New Zealand.