08 June,2017 06:26 AM IST | Birmingham | PTI
Faced with a do-or-die situation, a fired up Pakistan produced an inspiring bowling show to restrict South Africa to a modest 219-8 in a crucial Group B ICC Champions Trophy match, here yesterday
Pakistan pacer Hasan Ali is ecstatic after claiming the wicket of SA's Wayne Parnell at Edgbaston yesterday. Pic/AFP
Faced with a do-or-die situation, a fired up Pakistan produced an inspiring bowling show to restrict South Africa to a modest 219-8 in a crucial Group B ICC Champions Trophy match, here yesterday.
After an embarrassing defeat against India, Pakistan bowlers bowled their hearts out after South Africa elected to bat at Edgbaston, which had a slightly slow wicket.
The spinners choked the Proteas in the beginning with three strikes and later the pacemen pulled the rug from under South Africa's feet with fiery spells.
Left-arm spinner Imad Wasim took two wickets upfront while Hasan Ali (3-18) wiped off the middle order in a sensational three-wicket burst that turned the tide in the favour of Pakistan, who need to win this match to stay alive. Had it not been for a fighting knock from David Miller (75 not out) and his timely 47-run stand with Chris Morris (28) for the seventh wicket, the Proteas would have even struggled to get close to 200-run mark.
It was Miller's slowest fifty in ODIs as he took 83 balls to complete it but it came at a crucial time for his side. Miller's 79-run knock had only four boundaries.
Pacers Mohd Amir and Junaid Khan (2-53) did not take many wickets but peppered the South Africans with well-calculated yorkers.
Brief scores
SA 219-8 in 50 overs (D Miller 75', De Kock 33, C Morris 28, K Rabada 26; H Ali 3-24, I Wasim 2-20, J Khan 2-53) vs Pakistan
