Pakistan wilt as SA pull off stunning series win
The hosts, in yet another spineless batting performance, lost their last six wickets for just 20 runs while chasing a modest target to hand an improbable win to the Proteas whose never-say-die approach impressed all and sundry at the ground. The defeat left the home fans completely distressed and somewhat bleakened the prospects of home team’s success on the all-important tour of India starting next week.
At one stage of the game, Pakistan, after restricting South Africa to a moderate 233-9 due to some excellent bowling by comeback paceman Shoaib Akhtar (4-43) and hardworking Rao Iftikhar (3-45), seemed all set to wrap up the limited-overs series for the first time against the tourists in a bilateral contest. But unprofessional display from the lower middle order spoiled the day for them.
Despite losing openers Imran Nazir (17) and Kamran Akmal (24) fairly cheaply in the innings, the hosts had resurrected themselves through a fine 106-run stand between Mohammad Yousuf (53) and Younis Khan (58) and looked pretty much in the driving seat at one stage.
The Yousuf-Younis partnership took Pakistan from a precarious 43-2 to 149-3 when Younis was dismissed for a well-deserved half-century.
But the drama started in the 41st over when Pakistan, at 199-4 saw skipper Shoaib Malik (23) clean bowled by Morkel while attempting a needless shot at this crucial stage of the game. That triggered one of the worst collapses ever seen by a Pakistan side at home soil as the South Africans changed gears to excel in the outfield.
At 209, two wickets fell in quick succession. First, Ntini had Misbah-ul-Haq (19) caught brilliantly by Paul Duminy and in the very next over, Morkel trapped Sohail Tanvir leg before for a first-ball duck.
Ten runs added by Shahid Afridi and Abdul Rehman put Pakistan back on the track, momentarily. However, at 219, Afridi was brilliantly caught deep on the off side by A.B. de Villiers off Ntini for nine. In the next over Morkel dismissed Rao (0) caught by Mark Boucher and lastman Shoaib Akhtar fell to the same bowler while trying to hoist him over deep on. Pakistan innings folded for 219 in 46.3 overs.
Earlier, after electing to bat first, the South African innings got off to a sensational start when speedster Shoaib Akhtar, returning after a 13-game ban, bowled skipper Smith off the very first ball.
The experienced Jacques Kallis, however, held it together to score a patient 130-ball 86, featuring in two significant partnerships that took the Proteas to safer shores.
He stabilised the innings with Herschelle Gibbs (54) after surviving a dropped catch off Shoaib Akhtar who bowled superbly to claim four wickets for 43.
Both Kallis and Gibbs, looking in an aggressive mood, rescued their team, adding 80 off 112 balls. At 87, Gibbs was clean bowled by Rao. Gibbs posted 54 off 61 balls with 10 fours. And when Imran Nazir caught de Villiers (17) at deep mid-wicket by Shoaib Malik the visitors were in trouble at 119-3 in the 26th over.But Kallis with Paul Duminy, who was batting in his first match of the series, bettered the situation plundering 75 runs for the fourth wicket before Rao again struck on the first ball of his second spell. He had Duminy caught by Kamran for a well-made 64-ball 44 studded with three fours and a six.
But the two quick dismissals of Mark Boucher (5) caught by Malik off Shoaib and Pollock (2) caught by Sohail Tanvir off Rao, prevent the chances of an imposing South African total.
Shoaib, with his pace and swing, continued to puzzle South Africa, taking two more wickets in the 49th over. He first dismissed a well-set Kallis, striving desperately to accelerate the innings, caught by Malik brilliantly at mid off. In the same over Shoaib sent Morkel (5) back and Sohail clean bowled Johan Botha as the visitors were restricted to 233-9 in 50 overs.
Yousuf was declared man of the ODI series for his consistently splendid batting display while Kallis was named the best player of both Test and ODI series. Ntini was given the Man-of-the-Match award for his superb bowling.
Scoreboard
SOUTH AFRICA:
H.J. Gibbs b Rao Iftikhar 54
G.C. Smith b Shoaib Akhtar 0
J.H. Kallis c Malik b Shoaib Akhtar 86
A.B. de Villiers c Imran b Malik 17
J.P. Duminy c Kamran b Rao Iftikhar 44
M.V. Boucher c Malik b Shoaib Akhtar 5
S.M. Pollock c Sohail b Rao Iftikhar 2
J.A. Morkel b Shoaib Akhtar 5
J. Botha b Sohail 0
A. Nel not out 3
M. Ntini not out 3
EXTRAS (LB-4, W-6, NB-4) 14
TOTAL (for nine wkts, 50 overs) 233
FALL OF WKTS: 1-7, 2-87, 3-119, 4-194, 5-202, 6-205, 7-226, 8-226, 9-230.
BOWLING: Shoaib Akhtar 9-0-43-4 (3nb, 1w); Sohail Tanvir 6-0-38-1 (1nb, 3w); Rao Iftikhar 10-0-45-3; Shahid Afridi 10-0-44-0; Abdul Rehman 10-0-36-0 (1w); Shoaib Malik 5-0-23-1 (1w).
PAKISTAN:
Imran Nazir c Boucher b Ntini 17
Kamran Akmal b Ntini 24
Younis Khan c Morkel b Pollock 58
Mohammad Yousuf c Boucher b Duminy 53
Shoaib Malik b Morkel 23
Misbah-ul-Haq c Duminy b Ntini 19
Shahid Afridi c de Villiers b Ntini 9
Sohail Tanvir lbw b Morkel 0
Abdul Rehman not out 7
Rao Iftikhar c Boucher b Morkel 0
Shoaib Akhtar c Nel b Morkel 0
EXTRAS (LB-2, W-7) 9
TOTAL (all out; 46.3 overs) 219
FALL OF WKTS: 1-22, 2-43, 3-149, 4-160, 5-199, 6-209, 7-209, 8-219, 9-219.
BOWLING: Pollock 9-0-34-1; Ntini 9-0-61-4 (1w); Nel 10-1-32-0 (2w); Morkel 8.3-0-44-4 (3w); Kallis 3-0-15-0 (1w); Botha 6-0-25-0; Duminy 1-0-6-1.
RESULT: South Africa won by 14 runs to win series 3-2.
UMPIRES: Nadeem Ghauri (Pakistan) and B.F. Bowden (New Zealand).
TV UMPIRE: Zameer Haider (Pakistan).
MATCH REFEREE: A.G. Hurst (Australia).
MAN-OF-THE-MATCH: Makhaya Ntini.
MAN-OF-THE-SERIES: Mohammad Yousuf.
FIRST MATCH: Lahore, South Africa won by 45 runs.
SECOND MATCH: Lahore, Pakistan won by 25 runs.
THIRD MATCH: Faisalabad, Pakistan won by six wickets.
FOURTH MATCH: Multan, South Africa won by seven wickets.