After coming agonisingly close to securing their third victory in the 2023 World Cup but falling short, Pakistan captain Babar Azam conceded that the runs his team left out on the field – they were bowled out with 20 balls still remaining – played a crucial part in South Africa edging home in the best match of the tournament so far.
Batting first, Pakistan posted a total of 270 all out in 46.4 overs, with Babarand Saud Shakeel both scoring half-centuries. In response, Aiden Markram’s 91, along with a resilient performance from the lower order, saw South Africa chase down the target in the 48th over.
“We were very close but disappointed not to finish on the winning side,” said Babar, in conversation with the host broadcaster after the game. “We fought back very well. In the batting we, were 10-15 runs short. But the way we bowled was good. The spinners and the pacers were brilliant.”
Towards the end of the game, there was a contentious moment when Tabraiz Shamsi survived a close leg-before appeal. Although it appeared to be a borderline call, the review did not go in Pakistan’s favour, as ball-tracking supported the umpire’s original decision. “To be honest, it’s part of the game,” said Babar, who has now presided over four straight losses, the first Pakistan captain to suffer such a fate. “If the umpire had given out, it would have favoured us. It was Umpire’s Call on the DRS and we have to take it.”
With this defeat, Pakistan’s chances of reaching the semi-finals are now all but extinguished.
“We showed great fight and took the game to the last over,” said Babar. “If we had won this game, we would have kept ourselves alive in the competition.”
Shamsi delivered an impressive performance, claiming figures of 4-60 from his allotted 10 overs, earning him the player of the match award. It was all the more creditable because he was drafted into the playing XI only when Kagiso Rabada complained of back spasms.
“Obviously, I knew I had to do the job there,” said Shamsi. “While bowling at a set batter, it’s not easy and credit to the boys for the way they bowled upfront. You have played enough cricket to understand that sometimes it goes your way and sometimes it doesn’t go your way. Probably, shouldn’t have been here with the pads on but I will take it. If I thought of playing a big shot [and got out], the boys wouldn’t have let me go back to the dressing room. These are the moments that you work hard for. But Keshav [Maharaj] was sensational with the bat and credit to Lungi [Ngidi] as well.”
Reflecting on his team’s performance, Temba Bavuma, South Africa’s captain, acknowledged that they could have been more efficient with the bat while pursuing 271.”Chaos at the moment,” he said describing the dressing room atmosphere. “Nail-biting finish. if you are a South African fan, you will be happy. Pressure with us chasing, we haven’t done well to rectify that. It will be easier to have those conversations especially after the win.
“You need to have the guys in the best situations and truly speak out as to what they were thinking. Hard to say now, but those conversations will happen. It is something we have spoken and something which has been thrown about. We have a blueprint when we bat first, we can’t say with conviction we have that when we are chasing. We want to be a lot more clinical with the bat.”