The South African women held their nerve to seal a nail-biting victory over Pakistan, who extended their losing streak in the Women’s World Cup to 17 games, after coming agonisingly close, only to choke in the final over, as Shabnim Ismail defended nine runs to take the Proteas to third place on the points table.
Nida Dar brought Pakistan to the brink of victory, after Nahida Khan and Omaima Sohail played valuable innings at the start of the innings to keep Pakistan in the game. Dar’s run out, courtesy Chloe Tryon was the defining moment of the game, as the South African women were able to close down the game after that point. The defeat leaves Pakistan in deep trouble, languishing at the bottom of the table, with three defeats in as many games.
Pakistan won the toss and put the Proteas into bat, and got off to an excellent start, as the dangerous Lizelle Lee departed early. Her dismissal sent the South African batters into a sort of shell, until Tasmin Brits was dismissed by Diana Baig for two runs off 18 balls, ending a struggle at the crease.
Laura Wolvaardt and skipper Sune Luus’s partnership slightly changed the South African fortunes, as the pair added 89 runs for the third wicket. Wolvaardt, who was looking destined for a century, headed back to the pavilion for 75 after a leading edge gave Ghulam Fatima a caught-and-bowled opportunity. Two more wickets fell quickly, but captain Luus was up to the task, as she guided her side until the very end, with the Proteas crossing the 200-run mark. Luus was eventually dismissed in the 48th over for a well-made 65, and South Africa’s innings ended on 223/9.
Pakistan probably would have backed themselves to chase down 224, and the openers also had a solid beginning, as Sidra Ameen and Khan were looking promising, before Ismail took two wickets in two balls to send Sidra Ameen packing, and also snared captain Bismah Maroof for a golden duck.
In what was a deja vu situation to South Africa’s innings, the Pakistan innings was also stabilised after the fall of two wickets, as Khan and Sohail rebuilt the Pakistan innings. Khan departed for 40, but Pakistan were in a much better situation at that point. Sohail also made the long walk back to the pavilion after a 49-run stand between her and Dar kept Pakistan in the driver’s seat.
Post Sohail’s dismissal, Pakistan’s innings seemingly lost its way, after a couple of wickets left them on 162/6. Many would have expected a complete collapse, given Pakistan’s earlier games in the tournament, but this time around, things were slightly different. Nida Dar held the innings together with a gritty knock, as Pakistan moved ahead, closer and closer to the target.
Small contributions from Sidra Nawaz and Baig kept Pakistan in contention, and at the halfway mark in the 48th over, a Pakistan win looked all but certain. However, an ill-advised attempt at a double proved to be the end of Dar, and Pakistan needed nine runs off the last over. Ismail got rid of Baig off the second ball of the final over, and that sealed the Pakistani’s fate, as South Africa pulled off victory from the jaws of defeat, winning by six runs.
