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Gros Islet - Defending champions Pakistan beat South Africa by 11 runs to knock the Proteas out of the World Twenty20 and keep their own semi-final hopes alive here on Monday.
In a must-win game for both sides, Pakistan were in dire straits at 18 for three but made 148 for seven thanks mainly to man-of-the-match Umar Akmal's 51.
South Africa, chasing a relatively modest target, were then held to 137 for seven with spin, primarily off-break bowler Saeed Ajmal (four wickets for 26 runs), proving their undoing.
The Proteas slumped to 68 for four and despite a fifty from AB de Villiers couldn't break the Pakistan slow bowlers' stranglehold.
Now Pakistan must hope England, already through to the semi-finals following this result, beat New Zealand by a sufficiently wide margin later here on Monday to allow the title-holders through to the last four on net run-rate.
Victory for New Zealand would secure their semi-final spot.
Pakistan had an early wicket when Herschelle Gibbs (three) was caught at mid-on by Misbah-ul-Haq off all-rounder Abdul Razzaq.
It looked as if the batsman was early on the shot, undone by the slower pace of a Beausejour pitch slower than the one South Africa had grown used to in Barbados.
South Africa were now 12 for one and that became 23 for two when captain Graeme Smith chipped spinner Abdur Rehman to rival skipper Shahid Afridi at mid-off.
Jacques Kallis was caught in the deep off Ajmal for 22 and Rehman struck again to get rid of JP Duminy after Umar Akmal, running in from long-on, took a fine catch.
De Villiers though was still there.
But his 53 off 41 balls came to an end when he tried to play an audacious scoop shot off Ajmal and skied a simple catch to wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal to leave the Proteas 101 for five.
South Africa, who needed 51 off the last five overs, then saw the experienced Mark Boucher lbw to Ajmal for 12.
They eventually got the target down to 17 off the last over, from Ajmal.
Four singles followed before Botha was stumped by wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal and that left South Africa needing an impossible 14 runs off two balls.
Earlier, a stand of 51 in six overs between Umar Akmal and brother Kamran (37) revived the innings before Umar put on 61 with Afridi (30), who'd won the toss.
Fast-medium bowler Charl Langeveldt, maintaining an admirable line, took a career-best four wickets for just 19 runs from his maximum four overs.
South Africa's seamers had early success but the Akmal brothers got the innings going again, Kamran slog-sweeping Roelof van der Merwe and Umar playing a similar stroke for six against the left-arm spinner.
Umar Akmal reached his 31-ball fifty in style with a fourth six, driven straight off Langeveldt.
But, two balls later, he failed to clear the boundary and was caught by Gibbs off Langeveldt.
Scores:
Pakistan - 148/7 (20 Overs)
South Africa - 137/7 (20 Overs)
Pakistan win by 11 runs.
In a must-win game for both sides, Pakistan were in dire straits at 18 for three but made 148 for seven thanks mainly to man-of-the-match Umar Akmal's 51.
South Africa, chasing a relatively modest target, were then held to 137 for seven with spin, primarily off-break bowler Saeed Ajmal (four wickets for 26 runs), proving their undoing.
The Proteas slumped to 68 for four and despite a fifty from AB de Villiers couldn't break the Pakistan slow bowlers' stranglehold.
Now Pakistan must hope England, already through to the semi-finals following this result, beat New Zealand by a sufficiently wide margin later here on Monday to allow the title-holders through to the last four on net run-rate.
Victory for New Zealand would secure their semi-final spot.
Pakistan had an early wicket when Herschelle Gibbs (three) was caught at mid-on by Misbah-ul-Haq off all-rounder Abdul Razzaq.
It looked as if the batsman was early on the shot, undone by the slower pace of a Beausejour pitch slower than the one South Africa had grown used to in Barbados.
South Africa were now 12 for one and that became 23 for two when captain Graeme Smith chipped spinner Abdur Rehman to rival skipper Shahid Afridi at mid-off.
Jacques Kallis was caught in the deep off Ajmal for 22 and Rehman struck again to get rid of JP Duminy after Umar Akmal, running in from long-on, took a fine catch.
De Villiers though was still there.
But his 53 off 41 balls came to an end when he tried to play an audacious scoop shot off Ajmal and skied a simple catch to wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal to leave the Proteas 101 for five.
South Africa, who needed 51 off the last five overs, then saw the experienced Mark Boucher lbw to Ajmal for 12.
They eventually got the target down to 17 off the last over, from Ajmal.
Four singles followed before Botha was stumped by wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal and that left South Africa needing an impossible 14 runs off two balls.
Earlier, a stand of 51 in six overs between Umar Akmal and brother Kamran (37) revived the innings before Umar put on 61 with Afridi (30), who'd won the toss.
Fast-medium bowler Charl Langeveldt, maintaining an admirable line, took a career-best four wickets for just 19 runs from his maximum four overs.
South Africa's seamers had early success but the Akmal brothers got the innings going again, Kamran slog-sweeping Roelof van der Merwe and Umar playing a similar stroke for six against the left-arm spinner.
Umar Akmal reached his 31-ball fifty in style with a fourth six, driven straight off Langeveldt.
But, two balls later, he failed to clear the boundary and was caught by Gibbs off Langeveldt.
Scores:
Pakistan - 148/7 (20 Overs)
South Africa - 137/7 (20 Overs)
Pakistan win by 11 runs.
Teams:
Graeme Smith (captain), Jacques Kallis, Herschelle Gibbs, AB de Villiers, JP Duminy, Albie Morkel, Mark Boucher (wk), Johan Botha, Roelof van der Merwe, Dale Steyn, Charl Langeveldt
Pakistan:
Salman Butt, Kamran Akmal (wk), Mohammad Hafeez, Umar Akmal, Khalid Latif, Misbah-ul-Haq, Shahid Afridi (captain), Abdul Razzaq, Mohammad Aamer, Abdur Rehman, Saeed Ajmal
