Abdul Razzaq Runs Riot as Pakistan Stun http://www.senore.com/Cricket/South-Africa-c757 with 2nd ODI Win
Abdul Razzaq carved out arguably the greatest ODI hundred by a Pakistani batsman to take his team to an incredible 1-wicket win over South Africa at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi.
The Pakistanis were down and out for the count after another limp performance by the top order, when http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Shahid-Afridi-c2482’s (49 off 41 balls) cameo along with a workman-like 48 by Fawad Alam kept them in the hunt.
However, the two perished before reaching their half centuries and the Proteas were in the driving seat for all but the last over of the Pakistani innings when Razzaq struck two massive sixes and steered a four off the penultimate
delivery to fashion out one of the greatest ODI wins for his country.
The chase had begun poorly for Pakistan, with the top order caving in to the pressure of chasing down 287 runs. Asad Shafiq was the first to go; he scored a single run only.
Younis Khan, on the other hand, looked in imperious touch. The former captain scored 4 scintillating boundaries before umpire Rob http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Tucker-c94458 cut his innings shot by declaring him lbw when the ball had taken a big inside edge of a delivery
from Charl Langeveldt; the right-hander scored 18 runs off 25 balls.
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Misbah-ul-Haq-c1972 prodded around for 17 runs before he was also adjudged lbw, with Robin Peterson the successful bowler; the Pakistan Test captain faced 28 balls.
Mohammad Hafeez, who had top scored for the men in green in the first ODI, fell when he looked set for a big one. The opener hit 30 off 42 balls before nicking a cut shot to http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Johan-Botha-c67173.
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Pakistan-c755 was then brought back into the match by a cameo by skipper Shahid Afridi, who in his usual way went after the bowling. He hit 2 sixes and 3 fours in his 49-run knock that came off 41 balls.
He was caught off the bowling of Lonwabo Tsotsobe, with Colin Ingram taking a smart catch at long-on.
In came Razzaq and after a careful start launched into one of the most ruthless assaults on the hapless South African bowlers that grinded them to the ground.
After Fawad Alam’s departure, the Pakistani tail-enders Zulqarnain Haider (6), Saeed Ajmal (1) and Wahab Riaz (out for a duck) all ran themselves out in a bid to give Razzaq the strike.
Last man Shoaib Akhtar played out a couple of balls harmlessly as he stood around with 23 runs still needed for a win.
It all came down to the last over and http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Razzaq-c84421, who smashed a record 10 sixes in his innings, the most against the Proteas in an ODI, took his team home with one ball remaining in the nail-biter that has finally put some life in
the series after three lopsided wins for the South Africans.
There was only one man of the match choice and it was Razzaq, which would be a source of heartbreak for Colin Ingram, who smashed an even 100 for the Proteas taking them to a total of 286 runs in the Abu Dhabi heat.
The formidable total was made possible with a fine effort by http://www.senore.com/Cricket/JP-Duminy-c1742 and solid contributions all around, especially from the late order.
The Pakistani bowlers toiled hard in the heat: Shahid Afridi claimed 2 wickets for his team while Wahab Riaz was clearly the best bowler on display, taking 2 wickets with his left arm pace bowling that the Proteas found difficult
to get away from.
With the fragility of the Pakistani batting line-up these days, the South Africans would have fancied their chances of gaining a 2-0 advantage in the series, yet at the end it was the sheer brilliance of Abdul Razzaq that fashioned
out a much-needed win for his team.
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