Twitter Reactions: Usman Khan and Pakistan set up decider at the Newlands

Pakistan won with 111 balls to spare.

By Sabyasachi Chowdhury

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Pakistan team
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Pakistan team. (Photo Source: CHRISTIAAN KOTZE/AFP/Getty Images)

Pakistan started the ODI series against South Africa on a grand note with a victory in Port Elizabeth. But they lost two matches in a row and were required to win the fourth match at The Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg. The Men in Green didn’t have much trouble in rolling over the Proteas by eight wickets. Most importantly, they drew level in the series with the deciding match to be played in Cape Town.

Shinwari destroys the hosts

Pakistan won the toss and elected to bowl first and they got off to a brilliant start as Shaheen Shah Afridi nipped out Quinton de Kock and Reeza Hendricks early. Thereafter, Faf du Plessis and Hashim Amla took charge and put on a stand of 111 runs in 125 balls to inject momentum into the Proteas’ innings. Shadab Khan got rid of du Plessis, who scored 57 from 76 balls with five fours and a six, to break the stand.

After four overs, left-arm spinner Imad Wasim rattled Amla’s woodwork after the right-hander notched 59 runs from 75 balls with seven boundaries. Then wickets fell in heaps as the home team was bowled out for 164 in 41 overs. Usman Shinwari looked at his very best and brushed off the tail, picking up four wickets. Even as Shadab and Shaheen got two wickets each, Mohammad Amir and Imad got one each.

Pakistan win in a canter

Pakistan started the run-chase in a positive manner courtesy of a 70-run stand off 80 balls between Imam-ul-Haq and Fakhar Zaman. The latter, who has had a torrid time of late, scored 44 runs at a run-a-ball with seven fours. He fell prey to leg-break bowler Imran Tahir. Imam, at the other end, looked calm and composed and didn’t seem like throwing his wicket away at any stage of the run-chase.

He scored his half-century in 67 balls and almost saw his team through to victory and was nipped out by Andile Phehlukwayo with the visitors needing one run. Babar Azam didn’t play a shot out of anger and remained not out on 41 runs from 53 balls with a couple of fours. Mohammad Rizwan, who replaced Sarfaraz Ahmed in the eleven, cut the ball away through point for a four to hit the winning runs.

Here is how Twitter hailed Pakistan

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