World Cup: South Africa show nerves of steel to overcome resilient Pakistan

South Africa survived a late charge from Pakistan to pull off a thrilling onewicket win and move closer to the semifinals of the ICC World Cup 2023 on Friday Aiden Markram hit a solid 91 and at 2064 South Africa were well on course to comfortably chase down a 271run target However it was left to the last pair of Keshav Maharaj and Tabraiz Shamsi to score 11 runs while surviving 11 balls Shamsi survived a legbefore appeal that went to umpires call off fast bowler Haris Rauf with eight needed before Maharaj hit spinner Mohammad Nawaz to the squareleg boundary to pull off the win in 472 overs sparking wild celebrations in his teams dressing room Maharaj seven not out also added 10 runs for the ninth wicket with Lungi Ngidi four but Rauf took a stunning catch off his own bowling to send Ngidi back The win took South Africa top of the table with 10 points from five wins in six matches Pakistan however have lost four in succession after opening the tournament with backtoback wins They have four points and will need results to fall in their favour if they are to sneak into the semifinals This was only the seventh onewicket by a team in all World Cups and second by South Africa Leftarm spinner Shamsi took 460 in Pakistans 270 all out in 464 overs with 52 from Saud Shakeel 50 from skipper Babar Azam and 43 from Shadab Khan Markram shone and with a 70run stand for the fifth wicket with David Miller who scored a 33ball 29 with two sixes and as many boundaries At that moment the Proteas seemed on course for a straightforward win But late drama unfolded at Chidambaram Stadium as Pakistan fought back as South Africa slipped to 2508 from 2064Also ReadOne step behindShaheen Shah Afridi removed Miller in the 34th over while Rauf had Marco Jansen for 20 three overs later Markram hit three sixes and seven boundaries off 93 balls his fourth fifty in the World Cup also completing 2000 ODI runs in his 61st match Earlier it was Shamsi and Jansen who derailed Pakistans innings The 33yearold legspinner finished with figures of 460 while pace bowler Jansen took 343 after Pakistan won the toss and batted looking for a win to revive their World Cup hopes Pakistan would have scored fewer runs had Shakeel and Shadab not lifted them with an 84run stand for the sixth wicket off 71 balls following Azams dismissal at 141 Shadab hit two sixes and three boundaries while Shakeels second fifty in the tournament had seven hits to the rope It was Jansen who hit Pakistan early with the wickets of openers Abdullah Shafique nine and ImamulHaq 12 in the first seven overs Azam added 48 runs for the third wicket with Mohammad Rizwan who made 31 with a six and four boundaries The skipper added another 43 for the next wicket with Iftikhar Ahmed who scored 21 with a six and a boundary Shamsi dismissed Iftikhar caught at longon and Azam behind the wicket sweeping to derail the innings until Shakeel and Shadab rebuilt Fast bowler Gerald Cotzee broke the stand by dismissing Shadab in the 40th over while Shamsi sent back Shakeel and Shaheen twoWith inputs from agencies