World Cup 2023: How South Africa's aggression helped them pip Pakistan in nail-biter

More than halfway into the 13th edition of the ICC Cricket World Cup, and we finally got our first nail-biter.

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In a World Cup that has been dominated by one-sided results, where even the giant-killing acts by teams such as Netherlands and Afghanistan have been easy wins, South Africa’s thrilling one-wicket victory over Pakistan in Chennai on Friday was a refreshing change. One that breathes life into the tournament, especially at a stage where the excitement levels aren’t quite the same as at the beginning of the event or towards the business end.

PAK v SA | Shamsi’s spell, Markram’s knock and other top moments

South Africa entered the contest as clear favourites given their surprisingly dominant run coupled with Pakistan’s steep decline after their emphatic victory over Sri Lanka. The scorecard, however, tells a different story, that of a roller coaster of a game between two unpredictable teams that swung wildly from one direction to the other before arriving at a thrilling conclusion.

South Africa had been dominant while batting first so far in this tournament, posting humongous totals batting first and watching their opponents crumble under scoreboard pressure. The only time they had chased was in that memorable upset against the Netherlands, where they barely managed to go past 200 while chasing 246 to win.

On Friday, against a much superior opposition that boasts of a lethal pace attack despite missing a vital cog, the Proteas faced another stern test when it came to chasing a competitive target. For once, they managed to hold their nerve when it mattered, and end as the winning side after nearly throwing the game away from a position of strength.

Aggressive approach gives Proteas the edge

Temba Bavuma and Co’s decision to bring in an extra spinner in Tabraiz Shamsi turned out to be a great call with the left-arm wrist spinner grabbing four wickets for 60 runs, including the prized scalp of Babar Azam as well as that of a well-set Saud Shakeel. Pakistan appeared set for a total in excess of 300 at one stage, only to lose their last five wickets for 45 runs and get bowled out for 270.

South Africa’s batting unit has been the most explosive of all sides and though chasing 271 certainly is no walk in the park, the in-form Proteas batters would have backed themselves to chase the target down with quite a few overs to spare.

That’s exactly what Quinton de Kock, the tournament’s leading run-scorer with three centuries to his name, had in mind when he raced to 23 in just 10 deliveries in the first two overs. QdK, who tore the Bangladeshi attack to shreds with a 140-ball 174, smashed Pakistan pace spearhead Shaheen Shah Afridi for four boundaries in his first over that cost him 19 runs.

This was after Pakistan skipper Babar decided to start with spin-bowling all-rounder Iftikhar Ahmed, who conceded 11 in his first over including five wides on the first delivery. South Africa were 30 for no loss and appeared to have continued from where they left off against Bangladesh.

Even after de Kock fell to the leg-side trap, pulling a short ball from Afridi aimed at his throat straight to Mohammad Wasim at deep backward square, South Africa had someone playing the aggressor after his departure to maintain their healthy run rate. Bavuma, returning in place of Reeza Hendricks after recovering from an illness, took over and smashed three fours off Mohammad Nawaz before pulling Haris Rauf for his only six of the innings.

Once the captain departed after top-edging a pull off Wasim, it was time for Aiden Markram – who led in Bavuma’s absence — to take over the mantle of the aggressor with the likes of Rassie van der Dussen and even the usually attacking David Miller playing second fiddle. Markram took just four deliveries to collect his first boundary, producing a crisp drive off an overpitched Rauf delivery, and would uppercut him for a six in his next over.

Between those two overs, he dispatched Wasim for two fours in three balls and also attacked spin by launching Nawaz over midwicket for a maximum, racing to 30 in just 19 deliveries.

The result of South Africa’s aggression from the outset of the chase was they managed to reach 125/3 at the end of the 20-over mark, and went past 150 at the halfway stage. Pakistan, meanwhile, had barely crossed the century-mark after 20 overs and were 129/3 at the halfway stage, a good 25 less than what South Africa had at the same time.

In a game that had a lot of talking points, from Shamsi’s successful return, Markram’s standout knock under pressure to Pakistan’s superb comeback, this perhaps would be the most crucial.

South Africa had been losing wickets as regularly as Pakistan were in their innings, but their decision to go slam-bang against pace and spin alike created a cushion for their lower order when the chase became really tricky.

Their run rate hardly dropped below the six-an-over mark, and even when they were eight-down after Afridi got Gerald Coetzee caught-behind for 10, South Africa needed just 20 more to win with eight overs in hand.

Keshav Maharaj is quite a handy a batter lower down the order, as witnessed in the failed chase against Netherlands where he lent some respectability to what was otherwise a sorry batting performance, and all he needed to do was to play the waiting game, and for his partner at the other end to preserve his wicket.

Lungi Ngidi tried doing that for a bit before he was undone thanks to a sensational one-handed return catch by Rauf in the 47th over, leaving Pakistan needing just one more wicket to complete an emphatic victory. Shamsi survived a tricky LBW review later in the same over, before him and Maharaj survived a tense final over from Wasim, leaving them needing five runs in 18 balls.

At that point, the pace trio of Afridi, Rauf and Wasim had all bowled out their quotas, and Babar was forced to go back to Nawaz, who was far from his best with the ball that evening. Maharaj sensed the opportunity to go for the jugular, and finished things off in style with a confident pull behind square, the boundary later described by Shamsi as the “most precious runs” of his life.

Check your pulse our hearts nearly stopped