KARACHI: It is very rare that a fielding effort in any format of cricket takes spotlight more than either batting or bowling. That was the scenario that remarkably unfolded out of the blue during the World Cup 1992 fixture between Pakistan and South Africa, which was the very first time these nations were facing each other.

Heading into that game at the Gabba in Brisbane South Africa needed a win after winning two and losing two from their opening four matches, whereas Pakistan were even more in a state of depression having secured a solitary victory and claimed an unexpected point from the rain-abandoned game against England.

After being put into bat, South Africa reached 211-7 in 50 overs. Rains then halted Pakistan innings, which had reached 74-2 in 21.3 overs, and the revised target was set to 194 in 36 overs.

In the helter-skelter of the chase, Inzamam had reached a rapid 44-ball 48 before missing a wild heave off seamer Brian McMillan. The ball ricocheted off the front pad towards point. The big right-hander from Multan wanted to run a leg-bye but Imran Khan refused to budge from end.

By then Inzamam had nearly caught up level with the bowler before turning back in sheer desperation without realising that Jonty Rhodes, fielding at point, had also darted in with the ball in his hand. Realizing this throw might go awry, Rhodes hurled himself in the air at the stumps and broke down the stumps before Inzamam could return into the crease.

That piece of pure athleticism from the legendary fieldsman who was rated among the best of all time. Rhodes, a decent batsman in the middle-order, played chiefly because of his extraordinary fielding skills and had also represented his country at field hockey.

The freak dismissal of Inzamam trigger a collapse as Pakistan nosedived from 135-2 to 173-8 when the overs were completed with the South Africans winning by 21 runs.

Pakistan were foiled by the Proteas once again when they took them on in the 1996 World Cup encounter at the National Stadium in Karachi. Aamir Sohail had compiled a rather sedate 111 from 139 balls as Pakistan posted 242-6.

South Africa captain Hansie Cronje followed up a tidy 2-20 spell with the ball by contributing an unbeaten 45 to see his charges home by five wickets with 34 balls to spare.

The next time these sides played was during the Super Six game of the 1999 World Cup at Trent Bridge in Nottingham. Pakistan struggled from the onset before a gutsy 63 from 56 balls by Moin Khan lifted them to an inadequate 220-7.

South Africa too found the going tough as they slumped to 58-5 in 20 overs. But Jacques Kallis (54), Shaun Pollock (30) and Lance Klusener (an unbeaten 46 off 41 deliveries) sealed a three wicket triumph with one over to spare.

Pakistan finally had something to cheer about during the 2015 World Cup when they recorded their first win against South Africa. Playing at Eden Park in Auckland, Pakistan were bowled out for 222 in 46.4 overs with Sarfraz Ahmed marking his mega event debut with run-a-ball 49 as an opener and captain Misbah-ul-Haq making an 86-ball 56.

The wicket-keeper then excelled with a record six catches as Wahab Riaz (3-45) and Mohammad Irfan (3-52) restricted South Africa to 202 all out in 33.3 overs after had forced a revised chase of 232 from 47 overs with skipper A.B. de Villiers striking 77 off 58 balls, while leaving Pakistan victorious by 29 runs under Duckworth/Lewis method.

Head-to-head summary:

March 8, 1992 — Brisbane, South Africa won by 21 runs

Feb 29, 1996 — Karachi, South Africa won by five wickets

June 5, 1999 — Trent Bridge, South Africa won by three wickets

March 7, 2015 — Auckland, Pakistan won by 20 runs.

Published in Dawn, June 23rd, 2019