What a fantastic final session ( of the game and not the day, of course) this has been for Pakistan! South Africa had put up a really good fight and they were looking well on their way to a win but the tables turned and how! Five wickets for Hasan Ali, four for Shaheen with that new ball before Yasir Shah completed the formalities. That new ball came as a game changer for Pakistan and right-away Hasan got rid of Markram, the biggest break and from there it was all Pakistan. Brilliant bowling as they bowled on those tight lines and lengths and kept chipping away with wickets after they got that one wicket they were after
In course of no time the pace duo ran through the South African batting and they fell like a pack of cards! Some serious pace from Shaheen as well and they looked all charged up and determined to pull the game back, which they did in grand fashion as well. The first session was wicketless for them and it looked like this game was going away from Pakistan with South Africa going strong in the middle but the pace attack of the hosts left no stone unturned, scripting a memorable win in the end!
South Africa will be very disappointed with this as they had a chance of redemption after the first Test to level the series and end on a high, wasn't to be as they lost their last 7 wickets for just 33 runs and failed to handle that new ball. They fought really well for two sessions, the last one yesterday and the first today but that wasn't going to be enough! From a position of being able to win the game, they collapsed and collapsed horribly making matters worse for themselves.
Rizwan's second innings hundred proving to be so crucial for Pakistan in the context of this game, that gave them an opportunity to comeback into the game and that followed by Hasan's fifer and four wickets from Shaheen ensuring a 2-0 clean sweep. Not to forgot Markram's hundred as well that kept South Africa in the hunt for a long time, although it ended up going in vain!
And that's the game for Pakistan! South Africa have gone down too bad and are bundled out for 274! Pakistan have clean sweeped the series as well and it couldn't have been a better start for them with cricket returning to Pakistan!
91.4 Yasir Shah to Wiaan Mulder, OUT!!! Pakistan win the series 2-0!!! Mulder comes down the track to this tossed up delivery at the stumps, tries to heave it but misses and the stumps are clattered!!!
Pakistan players are ecstatic and this is the first time in 17 years that Pakistan have won a series against South Africa!!
91.3 Yasir Shah to Wiaan Mulder, wrong'un, tossed up at the stumps, spinning back in, manages to put it away past the bowler.
91.2 Yasir Shah to Wiaan Mulder, FOUR!!! Width outside off and Mulder has cut this one away to through the point region for a boundary.
91.1 Yasir Shah to Wiaan Mulder, length ball spinning away outside off, goes back in the crease and defends this to off side.
Imran Butt is being kept very busy in the slips and he's taken everything that's come at him! Another dismissal where the batsmen has edged that one angling away. Sticking to that line and length and it's doing wonders for Pakistan as they are in a serious hurry to seal this game and the series now. All too easy and Shaheen and Hasan have been having some fun with the new ball! What a dramatic turnaround this has been for the hosts. 9 down and fair to say, South Africa have thrown it away yet again!
Yasir Shah into the mix now
Over: 91 |
Summary: W 0 W 0 2 0
Bowler: Shaheen Afridi
Score: 270/9
90.6 Shaheen Shah Afridi to Anrich Nortje, comes around the wicket and bowls an yorker on the leg stump, digs this one out to the on side.
90.5 Shaheen Shah Afridi to Anrich Nortje, length all outside off, works this one away to the vacant area through point and takes a couple of runs.
90.4 Shaheen Shah Afridi to Anrich Nortje, PEACH!!! Length ball on the 4th stump line and Nortje stays in his crease and gets his bat to it. The ball flies past his outside edge.
90.3 Shaheen Shah Afridi to Kagiso Rabada, OUT!!! Bowled him!!!! Follows up with a fuller ball on middle stump after the short ball. Rabada tries to play at that one but couldn't get his bat to it and the stumps are clattered
Anrich Nortje will be the last man in for South Africa. Three slips and a gully!
90.2 Shaheen Shah Afridi to Kagiso Rabada, bangs in short on the leg stump and Rabada ducks under it to keep it away and Afridi has some words to Rabada!!
90.1 Shaheen Shah Afridi to Keshav Maharaj, OUT!!! A touch fuller outside off angling away and Maharaj reaches to it and tries to drive. Gets an edge to slips and the fielder takes an easy catch.
Kagiso Rabada is the new man in
Hasan Ali attacking on that outside off area and on the stumps. Another opportunity missed as Pakistan could have gotten a run-out there. Four runs off the over and South Africa need 102 more
Over: 90 |
Summary: 2 0 0 2 0 0
Bowler: Hasan Ali
Score: 268/7
89.6 Hasan Ali to Wiaan Mulder, full length ball on middle and leg, clips this one to the fielder at square leg.
89.5 Hasan Ali to Wiaan Mulder, length ball angling into the batsman on middle and off, gets on the front foot and defends it solidly.
89.4 Hasan Ali to Wiaan Mulder, length ball outside off, that one kept low, mistimes this one to the on side and there is no fielder there and they take two.
89.3 Hasan Ali to Wiaan Mulder, a touch fuller at the stumps, gets to the pitch of the ball and defends it back to the bowler solidly.
