The 2023 World Cup produced its first proper nail-biter as South Africa registered their first victory while chasing in the tournament, somehow managing to crawl over the target of 271 in the end after being in dominant positions through various stages of the run-chase.

Keshav Maharaj, Lungi Ngidi, and Tabraiz Shamsi combined to add 21 runs for the last two wickets to take South Africa over the line after they were reduced to 250-8 in the 42nd over.

Pakistan started poorly in the field, conceding five wides with the first ball and four boundaries in the second over of the run-chase, but came back to get rid of both openers Temba Bavuma and Quinton de Kock by the tenth over.

Six of South Africa’s top seven batters crossed 20 but only one went past 30 as regular wickets meant the game see-sawed in the direction of either team. Aiden Markram was the glue that kept the South African chase together.

Markram falls at a crucial time

Markram scored 91 off 93 balls but got out at the worst possible time for South Africa. Cruising towards victory at 250-6 in the 41st over, Markram went for a big hit off Usama Mir but only managed to hand an easy catch to Babar Azam, setting off a mini-collapse. Gerald Coetzee was dismissed in the very next over, leaving them with 21 to get with only two wickets in hand.

Maharaj and Ngidi added 10 runs in 26 deliveries before the latter was dismissed thanks to a brilliant caught-and-bowled by Haris Rauf. With just 11 needed, Tabraiz Shamsi came out to bat. After safely negotiating the first two balls he faced, Shamsi was trapped in front of the wicket by a skidding length ball.

The Pakistani players went up in appeal in unison but were denied by the on-field umpire. As they reviewed the decision, the replays showed that the ball would only have clipped the leg stump, meaning the umpire’s call stood. Shamsi was saved by the smallest of margins.

A close finish, after all

Maharaj and Shamsi then played out Mohammad Wasim’s last over. With no seamers’ overs left, Babar Azam had to turn to Mohammad Nawaz for the 48th over. Shamsi took a single and gave the strike to Maharaj off the first ball, who then pulled a long hop by the bowler behind square to take South Africa to their fifth victory of the tournament. Understandably, passionate celebrations followed.

With this defeat, Pakistan’s chances of qualifying for the semi-finals have taken a major hit as they have only four points from six games and are sixth on the table. South Africa, on the other hand, have leapfrogged India to go to the top of the table courtesy a superior net run rate.