***Official*** Pakistan in South Africa

[PhoenixFire]

How brave was Afridi, coming back out after that horrendous blow?

It was so unfortunate as it clearly hampered him. It sums of the calibre and character of the man that he was able to score any runs at all in such seamer friendly conditions.

He also showed how unselfish he is, going for quick runs for the team when the overs were beginning to tick down. He was unlucky to get out.

His gutsy 7 was the equivalent of a century in normal circumstances, what with the injury and his balls swinging round corners.

Words cannot describe..................

 

[God Jayasuria]

Words cannot describe..................

I know what you mean, the man almost makes one feel that way.

But I decided to give it a go and here's what I came up with it.

Brilliant
Fantastic
Outstanding
Wonderful
Excellent
Prodigious
Momentous
Significant
Spectacular

 

[nightprowler10]

Loving the cheerleaders tbh.

 

[TT Boy]

Could be a costly drop by AB in the context of the game, would only have need less than five runs per over but now we have a game on are hands. Pitch is doing quite a bit but Pakistan don’t have a plethora of seamers for tonight’s game and South Africa bat a long way down.

Or not, that’s been the most one sided 20/20 international thus far. Pakistan have been owned.

 

[nightprowler10]

What a pathetic display of cricket by Pakistan. Full credit to South Africa though, they absolutely owned us throughout the game.

 

[Xuhaib]

Lolz at Akmal dropping a sitter in the deep.

 

[TT Boy]

What a pathetic display of cricket by Pakistan. Full credit to South Africa though, they absolutely owned us throughout the game.

I know it’s only a 20/20 but a possible problem for Pakistan with the forthcoming ODI series is that most of their new arrivals look woefully under cooked and this was they only prep for Sunday. They have Asif, Inzy and Yousuf to comeback into the side which will help immensely but Razzaq, Malik and Shabbir don’t look match fit and the likes of Abdur Rehman haven't had much experience in South African conditions before. Looks like they could be a huge burden on Asif once more to deliver the goods.

 

[TT Boy]

Lolz at Akmal dropping a sitter in the deep.

Yeah you had to laugh but they can't drop him, his still Pakistan’s best batsman (in the squad) aside from the big three.

 

[TT Boy]

Anyone really care about this match?

Well not really but it's international cricket and the only reason I pay £40 a month is to have the pleasure of watching the game. So I like to get my money's worth. Though I do draw a line under watching the minnows and women.

 

[silentstriker]

Well not really but it's international cricket and the only reason I pay £40 a month is to have the pleasure of watching the game. So I like to get my money's worth. Though I do draw a line under watching the minnows and women.

You're safe here mate, if you want to come out.

 

[TT Boy]

Loots Bosman MOTM - "He says that it was a great preparation for the upcoming ODIs and he hopes to carry on like this. He is looking forward to the ODI series and score some runs for the team. He hopes that the next few weeks come good for him."

Shouldn't get to carried away Loots, Asif will probably have you off stump cart wheeling back on Sunday.

 

[TT Boy]

You're safe here mate, if you want to come out.

That's good to know.

 

[nightprowler10]

You're safe here mate, if you want to come out.

Tbf, there were some decent women to look at in the Pro 20 game just now.

 

[nightprowler10]

Looks like they could be a huge burden on Asif once more to deliver the goods.

At least Inzamam can't over bowl him in ODIs.

 

[Beleg]

Now this is what you call a PWNING.

 

[LA ICE-E]

whats the point of having 20/20? i mean ok everyone loved it in the begginings with full crowd and all but now the crowd is the same as odi and or less. so the intrest level for 20/20s are already going down because its too similar to odi's

 

[gunner]

not making excuses but there was a big difference in the pitch from when pak batted and when SA batted

When telemachus bowls like hes glenn mcgrath then something must be wrong

 

[Jungle Jumbo]

In easily the most one-sided Twenty20 match yet to be played on the international stage, South Africa demolished Pakistan in Johannesburg, romping home to a ten-wicket victory.

Chasing 130 after Pakistan struggled against the swinging white ball, Proteas' captain Graeme Smith lashed 71 from just 40 balls, while one-day specialist Loots Bosman smashed 53 from 32. After an admittedly weakened Pakistan seam attack of Naved-ul-Hasan, Shabbir Ahmed and Abdul Razzaq suffered early on, the slower bowlers were unable to put the skates on the home openers as Smith and Bosman cruised home with over eight overs to spare.

In all, Smith hit four sixes, all over the deep midwicket boundary, including the winning runs of Shahid Afridi, while Bosman slapped three maximums. Pakistan appeared to collapse under the hail of boundaries, bowling short and wide, no-balling and misfielding. Kamran Akmal was relieved of the gloves by Zulqarnain Haider after a torrid Test series, but found no solace in the outfield, spilling Bosman at long-on.

Earlier, the South African seamers had run amok as Pakistan's batsmen faltered under the floodlights. After losing Imran Nazir for five early on, Akmal and Mohammad Hafeez rebuilt securely to take the tourists to 52-1 before both fell in quick succession and the rest of the batting order resembled a procession.

With no Inzamam or Mohammad Yousuf to supply the middle-order thrust, eight wickets tumbled for 53 runs, the collapse punctuated by a brief shower. The recalled Shahid Afridi looked most out of touch, swiping unsuccessfully for 17 balls before skying Alfonso Thomas to backward point for seven. It took Naved to swat the final two balls of the innings over the leg side fence for six to give Pakistan anything approaching a large enough total to defend.

That is not to take anything away from the South African attack, which continually tested the outside edge and extracted the full potential from the bowler-friendly conditions. Shaun Pollock was as ever deadly accurate, but it was four seamers all probably contesting for two World Cup places that stole the limelight. Thomas, Roger Telemachus, Johannes van der Wath and Albie Morkel were hostile yet inexpensive and should get the chance to further their claims for a seat on the plane to the Caribbean over the next ten days.

The series five one-day internationals between the two sides kicks off this coming Sunday, February 4, in Cape Town.

Pakistan 129-8 (20 overs)
Kamran Akmal 21 (18), Mohammad Hafeez 25 (21), Naved-ul-Hasan 17* (13)
Alfonso Thomas 3-25, Albie Morkel 1-16, Roger Telemachus 1-22, Johannes van der Wath 1-23, Shaun Pollock 1-26

South Africa 132-0 (11.3 overs)
Graeme Smith 71* (40), Loots Bosman 53* (32)

South Africa won by 10 wickets
Cricket Web Man of the Match: Graeme Smith

 

[Prince EWS]

Yeah you had to laugh but they can't drop him, his still Pakistan’s best batsman (in the squad) aside from the big three.

Malik is a better one day batsman than Akmal, surely...

 

[Perm]

Graeme Smith- Best Twenty20 batsmen in the world.