South Africa 183 for 9 (Miller 82, Linde 48, Shaheen 3-22, Abrar 3-37) beaten Pakistan 172 for 8 (Rizwan 74, Ayub 31, Linde 4-21) by 11 runs
The Killer Miller Show
David Miller has earned a reputation as a mid-to-late bludgeoner. But after Shaheen and Abrar struck early, Miller came in at fourth on an inexperienced team. And for about an hour, he demonstrated how his timing and technique matched his power. Taking advantage of the start of his powerplay innings, he got Shaheen off the pads to begin with, before hitting him through the covers for another boundary.
Miller had just started and was brutal against spin, slapping Abrar for three consecutive sixes in the tenth over. He cut through the innings like a scythe for Pakistan; between the time he came on and the time Shaheen finally took him out, he added 82 of South Africa’s 125.
Linde punishes Rizwan’s gamble
Tactics are invariably judged on results rather than thought processes, and Linde ensured that Rizwan’s aggressive strategy to defeat death cost Pakistan dearly. After Miller fell and Pakistan followed up with two more quick hits to reduce South Africa to 141 for 8, the Pakistan captain saw an opportunity to eliminate South Africa. Shaheen, Abbas Afridi and Haris Rauf were run out in the 19th over; Pakistan had perhaps hoped that South Africa’s innings would be over by then.
But that didn’t happen, with Linde handling the strike and Maphaka’s odd boundary taking the pressure off them. That left Muqeem to fend for himself in the final out, and when Linde denied a single on the first ball, his intentions were obvious. Muqeem missed his length in almost each of the last five deliveries; three went for six before Linde finally missed the last ball into the cow’s corner. But South Africa moved to 183, and Pakistan’s hopes of cleaning them below par were dead and buried.
Rizbar now, Rizbar forever?
The opening obituary of Mohammad Rizwan-Babar Azam has been written far too many times to attempt another. It looked like Pakistan’s opening days with their two trusty anchormen were finally over, but in a hot chase, it was these two who got out while Saim Ayub sat in the dugout. Both looked rusty and well below the required pace. Babar could have fallen on Maphaka’s first ball and finally managed the fourth without scoring.
Ayub came in and demonstrated why he is so powerful in the top six, his entire repertoire of power, panache and daring was on display as he tore through the remaining powerplay, hitting seven boundaries in his 13 first balls to reach 31. effective when the field expands and managed to cover the second ball he faced after a power play. However, he had sent Pakistan on a flyer and one wondered what he might have added if he had been there from the start. When he died, it became clear how much each race would have mattered.
Danyal Rasool is the Pakistan correspondent for PK Press Club. @Danny61000
