Cricket Update: http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Pakistan-c755 Cricket Team Self-Destruct for the Second Time in Two Days
Having lost the first Twenty20 by a comprehensive margin of 6 wickets to a relatively new-look South African side, with such experienced players as Kallis and Steyn absent from their midst, it was imperative that Pakistan come up with a solid performance
in the second game to set the tone for the rest of the series. In the bid to avenge their defeat, Pakistan named an unchanged side for today’s match.
Winning the toss, the Pakistani captain Shaihd Afridi again decided to bat first. The openers, as is now painfully familiar for a Pakistan team, went cheaply. http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Shahzaib-Hasan-c2488 was the first to go making only 6 and skying a nothing shot to mid-wicket.
That brought the stylish under-achiever Mohammad Hafeez to the crease, who looked very fluent for his brief tenure at the wicket before inside-edging one on to his stumps when he was on 14.
Imran Farhat was next to go, attempting a stupid and unnecessary shot across the line hoist that only served to disturb his timber, leaving Pakistan in trouble at 39 for 3.
Umar Akmal and Misbah’s partnership too didn’t last as the Pakistani batsmen looked h**l-bent on throwing their wickets away callously, as Akmal was run out for a mere 5 runs, which led to the arrival of the crowd’s favourite http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Shahid-Afridi-c2482.
Pakistan’s mercurial captain, in spite of the deep hole his team was in, having faced only two balls previously attempted a rash shot that ended up being caught at deep point by Graeme Smith.
With the Pakistani innings in tatters at 39 for 5, Abdul Razzaq and Misbah ul Haq set about doing some much needed damage limitation work. http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Razzaq-c84421 even started playing his familiar big strokes after a while, and had hit 2 grand sixes in his 29 ball knock
of 25 before he became Pakistan’s 6th wicket to fall with the score still at 84 only.
Despite another flurry of wickets late down the order Misbah and Zulqarnain’s 27-run partnership meant that Pakistan were able to avoid the ignominy of an under-100 run score. They ended up getting 120 for 9 of their allotted 20 overs, Misbah being the top-scorer
with 33 to his name. For South Africa, all the bowlers turned in thoroughly professional, disciplined performances and http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Juan-Theron-c69586 even picked up 4 wickets, but it was there for everybody to see that the South Africans did not have much to do on the field,
with the Pakistani batsmen doing their utmost to help the African side out.
The chase was started by the two openers in a calm manner that was befitting the target they were set, and despite some good bowling by Pakistan’s opening bowlers Shoaib Akhtar and Umar Gul, the pair was able to take the score to 38 before Afridi trapped
Bosman lbw for 11. http://www.senore.com/Cricket/AB-de-Villiers-c887 was next to go also on 11, with the total score at 63 and Smith having serenely moved on to 37 by that time. From just before de Villiers’ dismissal by Hafeez and certainly after it, Pakistan’s spinners Afridi and Hafeez seemed
to have put the brakes on South African scoring with the run rate required climbing up to 7.71 per over for the last 6 overs.
Saeed Ajmal then dismissed Smith with the score at 68, and the match seemed to be all set for a tense finish which had not appeared likely considering Pakistan’s innings and South Africa’s sensible start to the chase. With the wicket of youngster Colin Ingram
for a well made 32, the only minor hiccup, the tale finished without any further twists, Duminy guiding them home with 6 wickets and 8 balls to spare, himself remaining not out on 22.
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/South-Africa-c757, then wrapped up the series 2-0 with a good all-round performance, but they left Pakistan with many problems to rectify, in their batting especially, if they are to put up a competitive show in the forthcoming one-day and test series.
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