Follow UsSouth Africa just about got over the line against Pakistan in Chennai on Friday (October 27), thanks to the composure shown by the lower-order. Their bowlers did well to restrict Pakistan to 270 and seemed to be on course to an easy win before the bowlers clawed their way back to pick up a few quick wickets.
Aiden Markram top-scored for the Proteas again with 91, but his side needed 21 more to win when he was dismissed with just three more wickets in the bank. Eventually, it was Keshav Maharaj who scored the winning boundary and Tabraiz Shamsi hung around with him.
South Africa go top of the points table, but this loss leaves Pakistan's chances of making the semis very slim.
This is the first time South Africa have won chasing in the World Cup. In the previous match they chased, they were pipped by the Netherlands. Skipper Temba Bavuma says that his team has a blueprint while batting first, but the same cannot be said while chasing, which is something they are looking to address.
"Pressure with us chasing, we haven't done well to rectify that. It will be easier to have those conversations, especially after the win," Bavuma said at the post-match presentation.
"You need to have the guys in the best situations and truly speak out as to what they were thinking. Hard to say now but those conversations will happen. It is something we have spoken and something which has been thrown about. We have a blueprint when we bat first, we can't say with conviction we have that when we are chasing. We want to be a lot more clinical with the bat."
Pakistan thought they got the last man leg before, but an umpire's call ensured Shamsi would stay on to end their hopes. Pakistan skipper Babar Azam feels all that is part of the game and the team has to take it in their stride and move on.
"We fought back very well. In the batting, we were 10-15 short. The fast bowlers and spinners fought well, but unfortunately, it was not to be. It is part of the game, in DRS it is part of the game. Had he given it out, it would have favoured us. We had an opportunity to win this and stay in the race but not to be," Babar said.
Shamsi, who won the player of the match, starred with the ball with four wickets and was also the last man standing with the bat. His strategy was to hang in there and key Maharaj as much strike as possible.
"If I tried to play a big shot and if it didn’t come off, the boys wouldn’t welcome me back to the change room. So there was no doubt in my mind that I had to just defend and get Kesh on strike. These are the kind of moments you dream of, to be in the middle at the end and win your team a game. Kesh was unbelievable out there," Shamsi said.
Pakistan travel to Kolkata next where they take on Bangladesh on Tuesday (October 31). South Africa, on the other hand, will look to keep their momentum going when they New Zealand in Pune on Wednesday (November 1).