South Africa beat Pakistan by eight runs despite a brilliant 62 off 40 balls by Shahid Afridi in the Morocco Cup one-day international tournament on Sunday as Pakistan was all out for 188 in 48.3 overs.
Veteran South African bowler Allan Donald was voted man of the match after he swept through Pakistan’s lower order, ending with four wickets for 43 runs off his 9.3 overs. The South African bowlers conceded just one extra.
South Africa’s victory means it will face Sri Lanka, whom it plays on Monday, in the August 21 final.
A key turning point for Pakistan was when Inzamam ul Haq was out for 41 in the 42nd over after stepping on his wicket as he attempted to smash a six off Justin Ontong.
Set a target of 197 to win, Pakistan lost opener Imran Nazir for a duck in the first over after he was bowled by Shaun Pollock, but that brought Afridi to the crease and he attacked the bowlers with venom.
Afridi, who was pushed up from number nine in the batting order the previous game to three, hit a six and a four off Jacques Kallis in the fourth over, then two sixes and two fours off the same bowler in the sixth over.
South Africa got a breakthrough when Shoaib Malik, who opened in place of Saeed Anwar, was run out for 12 in the 11th over by a brilliant direct hit from Graeme Smith.
But Afridi – who holds the record for the fastest international one-day 100 which he hit off just 37 balls – reached his 50 off 30 balls.
Afridi was eventually caught behind by Mark Boucher off the bowling of Donald in the 19th over. His 62 included four sixes and six fours.
South Africa, who won the toss and chose to bat first, made 196 for eight wickets in its 50 overs thanks to half centuries by Boeta Dippenaar and Boucher.
”We needed a victory to get through and 196 isn’t the biggest score you’re going to get, so to defend it was great,” South African captain Pollock said. ”We just had to keeping knocking over a few wickets here and there.”
Pakistan captain Waqar Younis said South Africa deserved its victory after bowling and fielding well. He said Pakistan had batted poorly throughout the tournament.
”We are all sad about our performance, we are all down,” he said. ”We will put this behind us and start fresh for the next tournament.”
After Afridi’s dismissal, the run rate slowed and then Pakistan lost three quick wickets.
Yousuf Youhana was caught by Nicky Boje off the bowling of Lance Klusener in the 28th over with the score on 118. Klusener then trapped Younis Khan leg before wicket for a golden duck with his next ball.
And Boje bowled Abdul Razzaq in the next over for a duck.
Inzamam and Rashid Latif took the score to 155, before Donald bowled Latif in the 39th over. Then Inzamam got himself out in the 42nd over.
Dippenaar, back in the side after recovering from a fever, and Boucher had helped South Africa recover from a dreadful start, but the total was still the lowest of any team that had batted first in the series.
Some excellent bowling by veteran pacemen Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis had reduced South Africa to 29 for four in eight overs.
Herschelle Gibbs was out first ball, caught behind chasing a wide ball from Akram, and Kallis was bowled for three by Younis in the second over. Smith, who opened in place of Gary Kirsten, was out three overs later, trapped leg before wicket by Akram for five. In the eighth over, Ontong was caught and bowled by Younis for 10. Jonty Rhodes was the fifth South African out, caught behind by Latif off the bowling of Azhar Mahmood for 11 in the 15th over with South Africa one run short of its 50.
Mahmood, who was in the side to replace fellow fast bowler Mohammad Sami, was the second of two changes Pakistan made to the team that lost to Sri Lanka by 39 runs on Saturday.
Dippenaar and Boucher took South Africa past 100 in the 27th over, but after making 55 off 89 balls Dippenaar was run out in the 34th over, leaving South Africa on 127 for six.
Boucher was also out shortly after making his 50, bowled by Mahmood for 57 off 99 balls in the 44th over.
Klusener was 28 not out and Pollock was 13 not out.
Akram was the pick of the Pakistani bowlers, taking three wickets for 31 runs in his 10 overs. – Sapa-AP