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Pak almost packed off as India fails to choke Proteas in World Cup

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Semi-final equations of ICC men’s T20 World Cup 2022 are becoming clearer, now that both groups have completed their third round of Super 12 ties. Sunday saw all six teams of Group 2 engaged in crucial ties. Pakistan defeated Netherlands, Bangladesh won against Zimbabwe and, in a battle for the top spot in the group, India lost to South Africa in a low-scoring but closely contested game. Pakistan needed all three results to go their way if they are to stay in the series. While the first two did, the Proteas’ victory has jeopardised their prospects.


Earlier in the day, playing at the Gabba, Bangladesh was able to restrict Zimbabwe from chasing down a target of 151 runs. Bangladesh’s Najmul Hossain Shanto anchored their innings with 71 suns from 55 balls, smashing 7 fours and 1 six. In response, Sean Williams’s heroic 64 of 42 fell less than enough to secure the belligerent Zimbabweans their second consecutive win. They fell short by 4 runs. With a spell of 3-19, Tasken Ahmed won the Player of the Match.


Next, at Perth, Pakistan easily chased down the target of 92 runs, set by Netherlands. Its bowlers had done their job restricting the Dutch to a low score. Shadab Khan scalped 3 for 22 runs, winning the Player of the Match award. Mohammad Wasim took 2 wickets, while Naseem Shah, Shaheen Afridi, and Haris Rauf took a wicket each. Captain Babar Azam continued his dry-spell in this series, but Muhammad Rizwan (49) and Fakhar Zaman (20) cemented the innings well enough to secure a victory despite a few quick wickets in the end.


The final game of the day played at Perth itself, saw the two group leaders– India and South Africa — vie for the top spot. India, coming off its two consecutive victories against Pakistan and Netherlands, won the toss and chose to bat first. A match-winning partnership between Aiden Markram and David Miller made sure that despite a valiant effort by the Indian bowlers, a total of 130 runs proved too low for the Men in Blue to defend.


Batting first, India lost five of its top batsmen in quick succession as Lungi Ngidi (4-29), Wayne Parnell (3-15), and Anrich Nortje (1-23), ran riot with their short-length pace attacks. It took Suryakumar Yadav’s gritty 68 off 40 balls, with 3 sixes and 4 fours, to steady the ship on one end even as wickets continued to rattle at the other.


In the second innings, the Proteas were also looking at a similar situation when Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Arshdeep Singh’s wily swing bowling choked down the run flow in the first 10 overs, restricting SA to 40 for 3 wickets. However, a dropped catch from Virat Kohli and several missed run-out opportunities from Rohit Sharma, meant that Miller and Markram had steadied themselves long enough to start firing right after the drinks break, accelerating to 85 for 3 in the next 4 overs. Once he had let loose, it was Miller’s well-balanced and well-paced 59 off 46, 4 fours, and 3 sixes, which won the Proteas the match. Ngidi won the Player of the Match.


As the teams begin their 4th round of the Super 12 matches today, India’s fixture against Bangladesh on Wednesday has attained importance, as both stand equal with 4 points in the Group 2 standings. India has the edge in net run rate. South Africa’s NRR of +2.772, thanks to the crushing 104-run win over Bangladesh, means they are now clear favourites to qualify from this group.


If Pakistan beat South Africa on 3 November and Bangladesh on 6 November, they will have amassed six points. But it is completely out of Pakistan’s own hands and looking increasingly unlikely that six points will be enough, although not mathematically impossible. Sunday’s win for South Africa means that even if Pakistan beat the Proteas in their next match, it will not be enough to see them leapfrog Temba Bavuma’s side. NRR could yet be a factor, so a big margin of victory in at least one of the remaining games wouldn’t hurt.

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