It's South Africa who are normally weighed down by the word 'choke' but Pakistan did just that in the final stages of their run-chase in Lahore, freezing at the threshold of an important series win. The game was in the bag when 36 were needed in the last ten overs with six wickets standing. But Pakistan contrived to surrender the game in a display of late-order batting that was both panicky and reckless. The 14-run win showed the close nature of the series and it could have easily swung either way, reports Cricinfo.
Pakistan squandered a great chance to pocket their first one-day series win over South Africa with a brand of strokeplay that was more suited to chasing ten-an-over than a measly 3.6. A comfortable 149 for 2 turned to a slightly tricky 199 for 4 before panic set in. One injudicious slog after another produced a collapse that read: six overs, 20 runs, six wickets. South Africa kept the pressure with accurate bowling and outstanding catching -- AB de Villiers' run from point to the boundary to dismiss Shahid Afridi put a seal on it -- but it still didn't warrant such a botch-up. Graeme Smith's half-baffled, half-ecstatic expressions resembled those of a little boy who had got away with poaching a chocolate bar. Despite the game running away, his side refused to give in and stepped up their game just when it mattered.
lbie Morkel overcame his early horrors of conceding 20 runs in two overs to keep his cool at the death but it was the fielding that made the big difference: de Villiers' special being complemented with Jean-Paul Duminy's sharp one running back from point.
Pakistan's batsmen will be asking themselves a few serious questions. Shoaib Malik's wild swing against a searing inswinger, with the ball only recently changed, was indiscreet, Misbah-ul-Haq did little to suggest that he could keep his calm at the finish, and Afridi walked the tightrope before giving it away. The tailenders buckled under the tremendous pressure and a series was gone in the blink of an eye.
The final stages overshadowed what went earlier. A sparkling fifty from Herschelle Gibbs and a ponderous one from Jacques Kallis had boosted South Africa but a nagging few middle overs from the spinners and a superb late spell from Shoaib Akhtar, when he troubled not so much with searing pace as much as with the lack of it, kept them down to 233.
Pakistan choke in sight of victory
FE Team | Published: October 30, 2007 00:00:00 | Updated: February 01, 2018 00:00:00
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