Bowlers shine as Pakistan fight back against South Africa

Hasan Ali took three wickets as Pakistan completed a stunning turnaround in the field to restrict South Africa to 219 for eight in their Champions Trophy Group B match at Edgbaston yesterday.In reply, Pakistan were 119-3 after 27 overs before heavy rain halted the proceedings. In no more play was possible, Pakistan were to be declared winners as they were 19 runs ahead as per the Duckworth-Lewis method. Just three days after conceding 319 for three against arch-rivals India in a crushing 124-run opening defeat by the title-holders at Edgbaston, Pakistan were a transformed side on their return to the Birmingham ground.Their spinners did the initial damage as South Africa slumped to 61 for three before paceman Hasan, striking twice in two balls, followed up on his way to figures of three for 24 in eight overs. South Africa were indebted to David Miller’s 75 not out after their top-order slump.Miller received good support from Chris Morris (28) and Kagiso Rabada (26) in seventh and eight-wicket stands of 47 and 48 respectively. Such was Pakistan’s command in the field, they inflicted the first golden duck in the 221-match one-day international career of South Africa captain AB de Villiers.Mohammad Amir and Junaid Khan, in for the injured Wahab Riaz, formed an all left-arm new-ball attack. But it was the spin duo of Imad Wasim and Mohammad Hafeez who did the early damage. Left-armer Imad struck second ball when Hasim Amla (16), going across his stumps, was lbw. Off-spinner Hafeez then had Quinton de Kock (33) lbw on the sweep. The two spinners combined when de Villiers departed first ball by slicing Imad to Hafeez at backward point. Hasan, as Imad had done, struck second ball when Faf du Plessis (26) played on. Left-hander Miller twice drove Hafeez for sixes over long-on.But Hasan took two wickets in two balls to reduce South Africa to 118 for six in the 29th over with a couple of brilliant deliveries from around the wicket.  Junaid then bowled Morris (22) only to be denied by a no-ball call. Miller brought up the 200 by driving Junaid for six and ended the innings by hitting Hasan for four, one of just nine South Africa managed in total. That was Miller’s lone four in a 104-ball innings that also included three sixes.Scoreboard South Africa inningsQ. de Kock lbw b Mohammad Hafeez  33H. Amla lbw b Imad Wasim  16F. du Plessis b Hasan Ali  26AB de Villiers c Mohammad Hafeez b Imad Wasim  0D. Miller not out  75JP Duminy c Babar Azam b Hasan Ali  8W. Parnell b Hasan Ali  0C. Morris c Hasan Ali b Junaid Khan  28K. Rabada c Hasan Ali b Junaid Khan 2 6M. Morkel not out  0Extras (lb1, w5, nb1)  7Total (8 wkts, 50 overs)  219Did not bat: Imran TahirFall of wickets: 1-40 (Amla), 2-60 (De Kock), 3-61 (De Villiers), 4-90 (Du Plessis), 5-118 (Duminy), 6-118 (Parnell), 7-165 (Morris), 8-213 (Rabada)Bowling: Amir 10-0-50-0 (3w); Junaid 9-0-53-2 (1nb, 1w); Imad 8-0-20-2; Hafeez 10-0-51-1; Hasan 8-1-24-3; Shadab 5-0-20-0Pakistan XI: Azhar Ali, Fakhar Zaman, Babar Azam, Mohammad Hafeez, Shoaib Malik, Sarfraz Ahmed (capt/wkt), Imad Wasim, Mohammad Amir, Shadab Khan, Hasan Ali, Junaid Khan