South Africans are said to be the comeback specialists in world cricket and on Friday at Multan, they demonstrated why they are called so. They went into the fourth match in the five-match One-Day series against Pakistan 2-1 down and knew that a defeat would imply the loss of the series to the tough Asian nation, but not for a single moment in the match did the South African players illustrate any sign of apprehension.
First, the South Africans restricted the hosts to a modest score of just 230 for the loss of 9 wickets. That score could have looked massively embarrassing for the Pakistanis had Younis Khan not decided to pump into action and hit 82 from 102 balls. The rest of the Pakistan team crumbled before a ruthless South African bowling attack.
Then the South Africans themselves rolled into a crushing form. Right from the very first ball, South Africa seized the initiative and never for one single time did they let Pakistan wrestle the initiative from them. Captain Graeme Smith and Herschelle Gibbs shared a first wicket partnership of 65 before Gibbs was trapped leg-before-wicket by Shahid Afridi in the 11th over for 39..
That spurred the rush of the South Africans as Shaun Pollock came onto the pitch as a pinch-hitter and plotted the demolition of Pakistan with Smith. While Smith scored a marvelous 81, Pollock brushed his way through to an excellent 90. The Pakistan bowlers failed to ask any questions of these two South African batsmen.
The fifth One-Day match in the series is on Monday in Lahore. That would be the decider of the series since the two sides are locked at 2-2. And there is no doubt whatsoever after a stupendous display on Friday at Multan that South Africa would be the favorites.
Image Source: Cricket Online
Source: The Telegraph
