Chennai (Web Desk): Pakistan set a target of 271 runs for South Africa in their ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 match at MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai on Friday.
cb5ac1b06899cbd5a1af9901071f15e7After winning the toss, Pakistan chose to bat first against South Africa and scored 270 runs in 46.4 overs.
The Green Shirts lost early wickets of openers Abdullah Shafique and Imam-Ul-Haq for nine runs and 12 runs, respectively. Mohammad Rizwan tried to stabilize Pakistan's inning with captain Babar Azam but later departed for 31 runs.
Rizwan reached a personal milestone of completing 2,000 ODI runs for Pakistan when he opened his account with a boundary off fast bowler Marco Jansen.
Marco Jansen had the wickets of both openers under his belt.
Babar Azam completed his fifty in Lungi Ngidi's over and led the team from the front. Later, Tabraiz Shamsi dismissed him for 50 runs and also picked Iftikhar Ahmed's wicket.
After the dismissal of the skipper Shadab Khan and Saud Shakeel were battling Protea's bowlers in the middle.
Both Shakeel and Khan defended the ball very well in the middle of the inning and completed their fifty runs stand. Their partnership helped Pakistan to put 200 runs on board.
Shadab Khan's inning was ended by Gerald Coetzee for 43 runs and Shakeel was tricked by Shamsi and lost his wicket in the hands of wicket keeper Quinton de Kock.
Mohammad Nawaz brought 250 runs for Pakistan in style by hitting six to Shamsi.
The Protea's spinner then went on to take the wicket of Shaheen Shah Afridi and with that registered his fourth wicket for 60 runs in the match.
Pakistan made two changes as Muhammad Nawaz and Muhammad Wasim came in, replacing Usama Mir and Iftikhar Ahmed.
After having back to back two wins at the start of their journey in World cup, Pakistan went through three consecutive losses, and now Green Shirts eye victory in fifth match of the tournament.
In the World Cup 2023, after winning against England on October 26, Sri Lanka took the fifth place from Pakistan on the points table.
On the points table, Pakistan are at the sixth position with four points while South Africa at the second position with eight points.
Pakistan and South Africa have played 82 ODIs against each other so far. Out of these, Pakistan won 30 matches and South Africa won 51 matches while only one match was inconclusive.
In the ODI World Cup, the two teams faced each other five times before today's match.
Pakistan won twice while South Africa remained victorious in three matches.
Teams
Pakistan: Imam-ul-Haq, Abdullah Shafique, Babar Azam (c), Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Saud Shakeel, Iftikhar Ahmed, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Shaheen Afridi, Mohammad Wasim, Haris Rauf
South Africa: Temba Bavuma (c), Quinton de Kock (wk), Rassie van der Dussen, Aiden Markram, Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller, Marco Jansen, Gerald Coetzee, Keshav Maharaj, Tabraiz Shamsi, Lungi Ngidi
