ICC World Cup 2023: It’s proteas by won wicket!

SA’s Keshav Maharaj is ecstatic after hitting the winning runs against Pakistan at Chennai yesterday. Pic/Getty Images

Though South Africa's Aiden Markram played a match-winning knock of 91, the real heroes of the Proteas's one-wicket win over Pakistan on Friday night were three bowlers - Keshav Maharaj (7 not out off 21 balls), Tabraiz Shamsi (4 not out off 6 balls) and Lungi Ngidi (4 off 14 balls). They displayed tremendous temperament under pressure and showed guts when it was needed the most to win the battle with 16 balls to spare.

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Just a few days ago, SA crumbled while chasing the Netherlands's score of 245-8 and lost by 38 runs in Dharamsala. However, SA proved that they can chase a bigger target successfully and on a spin-friendly MA Chidambaram Stadium pitch which was producing good bounce as well.

South Africa's Aiden Markram during his 91 yesterday. Pic/AFP

SA lost both openers - skipper Temba Bavuma (28) and in-from Quinton de Kock (24) by the 10th over. When it looked like Rassie van der Dussen (21) would go the distance along with Markram (93-ball 91, 7x4, 3x6), the Pretoria-born cricketer got out through a DRS decision. Leg-spinner Usama Mir (2-45), who came as a concussion substitute for Shadab Khan, gave Pakistan a big breakthrough in his first and the innings' 19th over by trapping in-form Der Dussen leg before.

Mir, who was not even in the playing XI initially, played his part while coming under the ball neatly at third man to dismiss Heinrich Klaasen (12) off pacer Mohammad Wasim's (Jr) well-pitched bouncer. When there was no need to play big shots, Klaasen took an unnecessary risk and lost his wicket. By the halfway mark, SA had 154 runs on the board and required 117 more runs with Markram on 52 and David Miller batting on seven. Left-hander Miller played his natural attacking game while releasing Markram's pressure sharing a 70-run stand in 69 balls.

Brief scores
Pakistan 270 all out in 46.4 overs (S Shakeel 52, B Azam 50, S Khan 43, M Rizwan 31; T Shamsi 4-60, M Jansen 3-43, G Coetzee 2-42) lost to South Africa 271-9 in 47.2 overs (A Markram 91; S Afridi 3-45, U Mir 2-45, M Wasim 2-50, H Rauf 2-62) by 1 wicket