T20 World Cup: Shadab Khan-inspired Pakistan beat South Africa to avoid elimination

Pakistan boosted their slim hopes of progressing successful the Men's T20 World Cup with a brilliantly frenetic triumph against South Africa astatine the Sydney Cricket Ground.

The effect means Pakistan tin inactive suffice for the semi-finals but request to bushed Bangladesh connected Sunday and anticipation South Africa neglect to bushed Netherlands oregon India suffer to Zimbabwe.

They are indebted to Shadab Khan and Iftikhar Ahmed, who combined for a chaotic concern of 82 from 36 balls.

Shadab smashed 52 from 22 balls and Iftikhar a 35-ball 51 successful an infectious show of hitting, to the delight of a raucous, Pakistan-dominated crowd.

Then, aft Temba Bavuma and Aiden Markram enactment connected 49 successful 27 balls to springiness South Africa hope, leg-spinner Shadab removed some wrong 3 deliveries.

Rain arrived soon after, with the people reduced to 142 disconnected 14 overs, South Africa needing 73 disconnected 30 balls from 69-4.

Heinrich Klaasen hinted astatine an improbable Proteas triumph by striking 3 fours successful his archetypal 4 balls aft the restart but his dismissal, caught disconnected Shaheen Afridi, allowed Pakistan to clinically adjacent retired the match.

Previously unbeaten South Africa would person been the archetypal broadside to corroborate a semi-final spot had they won but volition inactive spell done by beating Netherlands connected Sunday.

Pakistan could spell done if they bushed Bangladesh and South Africa-Netherlands is washed out. The 2 sides would past beryllium level connected six points, but Pakistan would spell done by having 3 wins to the Proteas' two.

Shadab keeps Pakistan successful the hunt

Pakistan struggles successful this World Cup person mostly been down to their batting, including erstwhile they failed to pursuit 131 successful a one-run decision by Zimbabwe.

They looked to beryllium heading the aforesaid mode again erstwhile Mohammad Rizwan played connected to Wayne Parnell successful the archetypal implicit and their different out-of-form talisman, skipper Babar Azam, was good caught moving backmost from mid-wicket by Kagiso Rabada disconnected the bowling of Lungi Ngidi.

But from 48-4 aft 6.3 overs, Shadab and Iftikhar launched a thrilling counter-attack.

Shadab whipped 3 fours and 4 sixes, including wide the ropes disconnected successive deliveries from accelerated bowler Anrich Nortje, who took 4-41 amid the bedlam.

Iftikhar swung Ngidi for a 106m six implicit the leg-side - the longest deed of the tournament.

Right-hander Shadab's 50 was reached successful conscionable 21 balls, making it Pakistan's 2nd fastest successful T20s.

South Africa did not assistance themselves. They dropped 4 catches successful the manic 2nd fractional of the innings, successful which 117 runs were scored.

It allowed Pakistan to scope a people acold greater than should person been possible, which is wherever the lucifer was mislaid from the Proteas perspective.

South Africa succumb to Pakistan gait attack

Pakistan's bowlers erstwhile again impressed.

An already challenging people was made much hard erstwhile Quinton de Kock was caught for a five-ball duck successful the archetypal implicit trying to heave Shaheen, who besides had the unsafe Rilee Rossouw caught astatine heavy 3rd successful his adjacent over.

The Bavuma-Markram basal was the lone constituent Pakistan were pushed back, Bavuma stepping crossed and swinging a towering six implicit good limb en way to 36 from 19 balls.

But Shadab had skipper Bavuma caught down with his archetypal shot and bowled Markram for 20 with 1 that skidded on.

After the rain, Tristan Stubbs smacked the 2nd shot for six but the wickets they had already mislaid was ever going to marque the pursuit tough.

A steepling drawback disconnected Klaasen's starring borderline was good taken by Mohammad Wasim disconnected Shaheen, who claimed 3-14 overall, and Stubbs pulled Naseem Shah's slower bouncer to heavy square-leg.

South Africa finished connected 108-9 but person different accidental astatine progression.