Pakistan vs. South Africa: Another Sensational Batting Collapse Sinks Pakistan in 1st ODI
PAK 203 all out
Once again it was a same old story for http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Pakistan-c755, as after a bright start the men in green imploded for the umpteenth time this year to fall well below a reasonable total batting first in the first match of the five-match
series against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/South-Africa-c757.
The team renowned for making careers of new upcoming bowlers from around the world has dedicated the present series to South Africa’s left-armer Lonwabo Tsotsobe, who claimed four wickets in his 10-over stint that derailed
the Pakistanis after a promising start that saw them in a commanding position of 140/1 in the 31st over of the innings.
Younis Khan, who was making a comeback to the national team after a fractious year, scored a fluent half century and shared a 114 runs partnership with Mohammad Hafeez after http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Shahid-Afridi-c2482 had won the toss and elected to bat
first in perfect batting conditions at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi.
Opener Asad Shafiq (19 runs off 36 balls) was Tsotsobe’s first victim; his wicket fell in the 8th over when the Pakistanis were at 26.
Hafeez fell with Pakistan building themselves to an impregnable position in the match; the right-hander scored 68 runs off 84 balls, striking 7 fours in his innings.
Younis was trapped lbw off http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Johan-Botha-c67173 in the 35th over for 54 runs compiled off 75 balls, a knock that included 2 fours.
From there on, a subtle variation of pace by Tsotsobe and high quality fielding by the Proteas saw the Pakistanis collapse dramatically, as their batsmen froze for no rhyme or reason.
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Misbah-ul-Haq-c1972 (14 off 25 balls) played an extremely ungainly shot to perish to Tsotsobe with the square leg fielder taking the catch; Fawad Alam was cleaned up by Charl Langeveldt for 9, while captain Shahid Afridi once again
played a reckless shot to give Tsotsobe his third wicket of the day. Afridi scored only 1 run.
It became a procession when Abdul Razzaq (2 off 6) and Umar Gul (3 off 8) fell cheaply to Tsotsobe and http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Morne-Morkel-c77722.
Pakistan lost its ninth wicket with the total on 196 when Saeed Ajmal (3 off 7 balls) was run out attempting a suicidal second run.
Shoaib Akhtar hit the only six of the innings off Langeveldt, yet it was too little too late as he perished a couple of balls later attempting another big hit off the same bowler.
The Pakistani side was bowled out for 203, and must be kicking themselves in the hutch after blowing away a wonderful start with the bat.
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