South Africa won a classic World Cup thriller at Chennai, beating Pakistan by one wicket after a heroic last-wicket stand between Keshav Maharaj and Tabraiz Shamsi took them over the line.

With five needed before the start of the 48th over, and the last pair of Keshav Maharaj and Tabraiz Shamsi at the crease, the game could have gone either way. Shamsi went off strike off the first ball by Mohammad Nawaz. Maharaj, facing the next ball, tucked the delivery off his pads to the deep backward square fence for four.

With the win, SA are now at the top of the table, losing just one game so far. Pakistan are sixth, having won the first two games out of six.

After the game, Babar Azam conceded that the side was “10-15 runs short”, admitting he and the team was “disappointed”. Bavuma, on the other hand, was happy that the team had been able to win a game chasing,

Babar Azam, Pakistan captain:

“Very disappointing, we fought back well but we were 10-15 runs short. I think the way fast bowlers bowled, they did well but unfortunately the result was not in our side.

“We will try our best in our next three matches and put our effort so let’s see where we stand after the three matches.”

Temba Bavuma, South Africa captain:

“It’s a bit of chaos at the moment, guys enjoying it, Guys picking up [Tabraiz] Shamsi. Nail-biting finish, if you are a South African fan, you are a little bit happier, we haven’t done well in chasing, it will be easier to have those conversations now. I think obviously we have a blueprint, batting first, we have shown, we can’t say with conviction we have the blueprint while chasing but we will have the conversations.

“We obviously want to show a more clinical display with the bat. [Kagiso Rabada] is good, he is experiencing lower back spasm, I am sure he will come into contention for the NZ game. Ecstatic for Shamsi, He came in favourable conditions and exploited it. And then with the bat I think you’ve seen Shamsi on social media gloating about his batting, we needed that today and fortunately for us he came through.”

 

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