PAKISTAN vs SOUTH AFRICA
The knock out stage has arrived and the first semi final was played between Pakistan and South Africa at Trent Bridge, Nottingham. Pakistan won the toss and elected to bat. They opened their batting with Kamran Akmal and Shazab Hasan. It was a dry track and Pakistan were 22 for 1 after 2 overs losing Hasan and later Kamran was caught by Morkel of Styen for 23 runs. Spin was introduced in the 8th over and both Van der Merve and Botha bowled well and after 11 overs Pakistan were batting at 86 for 2. Afridi played a gem of an innings and was caught by de Villiers b Duminy for a well made 51. Pakistan had nudged the ball around and managed to get singles also. The South African fielding was far from satisfactory and it appeared that the men in green were absent wherever the ball went. Boundaries flowed frequently. Shoab Malik was out for a well compiled 34 caught by Botha of Van der Merve. Younus and Razzak were not able to hit boundaries in the last five overs as the South Africans held them back and Pakistan could compile only 149 in the allotted 20 overs setting a target of 150 runs for SA to enter the final.
Jacques Kallis and Greame Smith opened for South Africa and managed to get 15 runs only of the first two overs. Pakistan bowled well to contain SA to 30 runs in the first 4 overs. Smith was later caught and bowled by Aamir for 10 runs and SA were 40 for 1. Gibbs was bowled by Afridi who also got the scalp of AB de Villiers for 1 run. Boundaries had dried up and not a single six was hit for the first 9 overs. South Africa were content with one’s and two’s and were 73 for 3 after 13. That increased the required run rate well above 11 runs per over. Kallis hit the first 6 of the SA innings in the 15th over but by then it was too little too late. Kallis was out for a well made 64 caught by Malik bowled by Ajmal. In the last 2 overs SA needed 29 to win when Albie Morkel was run out for 2. Boucher came to the crease when only 3 balls were left and Pakistan won the match beating SA by 7 runs.
Shahid Afridi was declared man of the match for his blistering knock of 51 coupled with two wickets for 16 runs.
They are in the final to be played on Sunday and will meet the winners of the second semi final to be held between Sri Lanka and the West Indies.