Pakistan's pace attack found their range and Sarfraz Ahmed brought adhesive wicketkeeping gloves to secure World Cup victory against South Africa as potentially match-ending rain started to fall.
The win breathed as much life into the Pakistan campaign as the precipitation from the Waitakere Ranges delivered to the wicket in
the second innings.
South Africa and Pakistan are second-equal on six points in pool B; the Proteas remain ahead on net run rate.
Wahab Riaz, Rahat Ali and Mohammad Irfan took three wickets apiece to knock a formidable batting line-up off its axis. Man-of-the-match Sarfraz did the rest, equalling an ODI world record for glovemen with six catches in the 29-run win via the Duckworth-Lewis method. The final catch of Imran Tahir caused captain Misbah-ul-Haq, normally a man with a disposition like a military office on parade, to give the impression he'd been demobbed.
The pivotal period came when Wahab and Rahat operated from the 10th to the 16th overs which included three wicket maidens. South Africa slumped from 67 for one to 81 for five.
"We bowled with real pace and purpose," said Pakistan coach Waqar Younis. Our batting wasn't the best but we made good use of their fifth bowler where they were weak."
Pakistan broke what's almost a venue spell. The previous 10 day-nighters have resulted in one win, eight losses and a tie for the team batting first. Pakistan completed the task after posting 222 in 46.4 overs. South Africa chased 232 to win once the rain calculations had been made. So much for speculation 400 would be breached.
South Africa have bullied the West Indies (408-5), Ireland (411-4) and Zimbabwe (339-4) with fantastical totals but failed to chase against India and Pakistan.
AB de Villiers kept the pursuit together with 77 from 58 balls. The South African captain entered at 67 for three in the 11th over. He eluded dismissal when a top edge ballooned over mid-wicket on 36 and guided his team within touching distance of victory. It took Sarfraz's fifth catch to dismiss him as he attempted to swipe Sohail Khan through the legside. The damage had looked irreparable when J-P Duminy top edged to Wahab at long leg off Irfan, leaving them 102 for six in the 20th over.
"Run rate was never an issue," de Villiers said. "There was nothing extraordinary about their attack, other than the fact they ran in with a lot of energy, urgency and intensity.
"I hate losing, so I have nothing good to say about the team at the moment. I'm disappointed in my own performance too.
"No one should have an issue representing their country but I didn't feel an electric vibe at the warm-up. It's my responsibility to get the guys going. I couldn't."
De Villiers decided to field as a grey cloak crept in from the west. Rain streamed during the 37th over with Pakistan 175 for five. The players exited again at 197 for five after 40.1 overs.
Pakistan's batsmen broke into the odd attacking flurry but South Africa always had the capacity to engineer a dismissal. Dale Steyn (10-3-30-3) and Morne Morkel (9.4-0-25-2) created batting straitjackets across four spells each.
Sarfraz returned to open, replacing Nasir Jamshed. He reached 49 at a run-a-ball but, after unleashing three agricultural sixes through deep mid-wicket, was run out by David Miller seeking two behind square leg.
Misbah-ul-Haq was again needed to engender respectability, making 56 off 86 balls to back up tournament innings of 65, 73, seven and 76. The 40-year-old must tire of mopping up top order capitulations. He became the first batsman to score 5,000 one-day international runs without any individual century in 147 ODI innings.
Misbah-ul-Haq was again called on to save respectability, making 56 off 86 balls to back up tournament innings of 65, 73, 7, 76. The 40-year-old must tire of mopping up top order capitulations. He became the first batsman to score 5,000 one-day international runs without any individual century in his 147th innings across 160 matches.
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