Pakistan would have won the game against South Africa if the critical decision had gone their way.
South Africa held off a late assault from Pakistan to win by one wicket and go to the World Cup semi-finals on Friday. Aiden Markram scored 91, and South Africa were on track to comfortably chase down a 271-run mark at 206-4. The final 11 runs, however, were scored by the last combination of Keshav Maharaj and Tabraiz Shamsi. Shamsi escaped a close leg-before appeal that resulted in quick bowler Haris Rauf being called off with eight needed. The incident occurred on the last ball of the 46th over.
Rauf’s bowling struck Shamsi on the front pad. The ground umpire ruled that it was not out, and Pakistan appealed the ruling.
Ball tracking revealed that the ball had clipped the leg stump, indicating that the wicket was up to the umpire. Shamsi survived because the field umpire ruled him out.
The Pakistan players, particularly Haris Rauf, were heartbroken after failing to obtain a wicket while being so close. The reaction video of Pakistani cricketers has gone popular on social media.
“Really happy, you play enough cricket to know that sometimes it goes for you, sometimes it doesn’t,” Shamsi, who finished with four runs, said.
Maharaj (seven not out) and Lungi Ngidi (four) shared 10 runs for the ninth wicket, but Rauf took a superb catch off his own bowling to send Ngidi back.
South Africa now leads the table with 10 points after five wins in six matches.
Pakistan, on the other hand, has lost four games in a row after winning the first two.With only four points, they must hope for favourable outcomes if they hope to make it to the semifinals.
“We fought really well and in a really close bout. Pakistani captain Babar Azam stated, “We had a chance to win this match, but we missed it.
“We will try our best in our next three matches.”
In all World Cups, this was only the seventh one-wicket victory by a team, and South Africa’s second.
