Pakistan Suffers Narrow Defeat to South Africa in ICC World Cup 2023

Posted on by Usama Mudassar

In the 26th match of the ICC World Cup 2023, South Africa edged out Pakistan in a thrilling encounter, securing victory by just one wicket. The match, played at Chaudhary Barmy Stadium in Chennai, saw Pakistan winning the toss and opting to bat first.

Pakistan’s innings came to an end at 270 runs for the loss of all wickets in the 47th over. Setting a target of 271 runs for South Africa, the stage was set for a competitive contest. What followed was an intense battle between the two cricketing giants.

South Africa managed to achieve the target with just one wicket in hand, marking their first World Cup victory over Pakistan since 1999. The win for South Africa has made Pakistan’s chances of reaching the World Cup final extremely challenging.

South African opener Aiden Markram was the standout performer of the match, playing a superb inning of 91. His presence at the crease during Pakistan’s bowling innings significantly reduced Pakistan’s chances of success.

On the Pakistani side, Shahin Afridi took three wickets for 45 runs, while Haris Rauf, Mohammad Wasim, and Osama Mir managed to take two wickets each, contributing to their team’s effort.

Pakistan’s batting innings started with a rocky beginning, with the opening pair of Abdullah Shafique and Imam-ul-Haq departing for just 9 and 12 runs, respectively, leaving Pakistan at a precarious score of 38 for the loss of two wickets.

Captain Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan attempted to stabilize the innings, with Rizwan scoring 27 off 31 balls before departing at an overall score of 86 runs. Pakistan’s middle order struggled to find their rhythm, with Green Shirts losing wickets at regular intervals.

At 141 for 5, Pakistan’s chances of setting a competitive total seemed bleak. A partnership between Shadab Khan and Saud Shakeel brought some hope, as they added 84 runs to the total. Shadab Khan scored 36 runs before getting out.

Saud Shakeel scored 43 off 36 balls, and Pakistan managed to set a total of 240 runs, thanks to his contributions. The last batsman to fall for Pakistan was Shaheen Afridi, who could only muster 2 runs.

In response, South Africa faced their share of challenges but managed to chase down the target. Temba Bavuma, Quinton de Kock, and David Miller played crucial roles in their team’s victory. South Africa’s Tabraiz Shamsi took four wickets, while Marco Jansen took three, and Gerald Coetzee and Ngidi Ngidi claimed two and one wicket, respectively.

This win positions South Africa second on the ICC World Cup points table, while Pakistan currently stands at sixth place. The intense contest between these two cricketing giants provided fans with a thrilling match, leaving them eagerly anticipating the remaining World Cup matches.

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