Shabnim Ismail bowled a brilliant final over as South Africa beat Pakistan by six runs in Mount Maunganui.
Trusted with bowling the last over, Ismail (3-41) gave away just four runs while defending 10 runs, keeping the Proteas Women’s perfect record intact in the 2022 Women’s World Cup.
The win takes South Africa into the top four in the table, where they occupy the third spot with four points in two games.
On the other hand, Pakistan have a lot to ponder about after losing their third game on trot, leaving them at the bottom of the table.
Pakistan were in the game for the most part, thanks to half-centuries from Nida Dar and Omaima Sohail, but nerves got the better of them in the end.
Chasing 224, openers Nahida Khan and Sidra Ameen got Pakistan off to a solid start, adding 26 runs in the first six overs. Ismail ensured the openers didn’t run away with the game, inducing an edge off Ameen’s bat to break the opening stand. She was on a hat-trick after she dismissed skipper Bismah Maroof for a golden duck.
Two consecutive maidens, including Ismail’s double-wicket maiden, saw South Africa come back into the game but Sohail and Nahida ensured that the required run rate didn’t go out of reach, finding boundaries regularly.
They brought up their 50-run stand in the 20th over and at the halfway stage, were 129 runs away from a win.
The two batters looked set and threatened to take the game away with their partnership when Ayabonga Khaka broke the 69-run stand. She trapped Nahida in front of the stumps for 40 and even DRS couldn’t come to the Pakistan opener’s rescue.
Sohail once again had to consolidate the innings, this time with Nida Dar, but lack of boundaries meant the required run rate shot up during their partnership of 49 that came in 77 balls.
Sohail got to her maiden Women’s World Cup fifty but the pressure of the asking rate got to her as she holed out in the deep to Masabata Klaas. Her wicket was a body blow to Pakistan as it triggered a mini-collapse with Aliya Riaz and Fatima Sana departing in the next three overs.
The required rate shot up to close to 10 after Pakistan scored zero boundaries between overs 39-44.
Needing 47 off the last five, they finally got a move on as Dar reached her fifty. Diana Baig got in on the act and scored two consecutive boundaries in the first two balls of the penultimate over but the run-out of Dar undid all the good work.
Ismail was trusted to defend 10 off the final over and she delivered. A brilliant running catch off her own bowling sent Baig back to the pavilion before an anti-climatic run-out finished the match.
Earlier in the day, Wolvaardt compiled 75 at the top of the order and Luus (62) was instrumental in holding the innings together, as South Africa overcame an excellent spell from Pakistan spinner Ghulam Fatima to post 223-9.
Fatima picked up three wickets in two overs to help put the clamps on South Africa during the middle overs and Pakistan’s victory target would have been much greater if not for her intervention.
After winning the toss and electing to bowl first, Fatima Sana (3-43) gave Pakistan the perfect start when she dismissed the returning Lizelle Lee for just two in the third over of the match.
Tazmin Brits didn’t last much longer, as keeper Sidra Nawaz hung on to a beauty behind the stumps off the bowling of Diana Baig (1-23) as South Africa fell to 21-2.
Wolvaardt and Luus then put on 89 for the third wicket to gain the ascendancy, only for Fatima to take a series of wickets in quick succession to leave the Proteas reeling at 120-5 after 32 overs.
Luus, Chloe Tryon (31) and Trisha Chetty (31) got away some lusty late blows to help boost South Africa’s total, leaving Pakistan a decent run chase.
HIGHLIGHTS: Proteas vs Pakistan (Women’s World Cup)
– Report from Cricket World Cup website
