Picture credit: Twitter
Pakistan registered a resounding 33-run win against South Africa in their Super 12 fixture at the T20 World Cup in Australia. The Proteas were in command of the game but lost control and allowed Pakistan to take over and clinch the fixture. Reacting to this performance, former Indian international batter Wasim Jaffer had some harsh words for the S outh African captain.
While speaking on the ‘BatBricks7 presents Run Ki Runneeti’ on CricTracker, Jaffer claimed that Temba Bavuma is only in the South African team only because his the captain. Jaffer also expressed that if he wasn’t in a leadership role, Bavuma would be replaced by the in-form Reeza Hendricks.
Jaffer said, “If Temba Bavuma wasn’t the captain of South Africa then he wouldn’t have been in the team, because there’s Reeza Hendricks who is sitting outside, he has been in good form. Bavuma is obviously playing because he is the captain and he needs to come good.”
Going back to the game, the Proteas reduced Pakistan to 95-5 at the end of the 13th over. But from this point ahead the duo of Iftikhar Ahmad and Shadab Khan launched a brilliant counter-attack and posted 82 runs off just 35 balls and posted a 186-run target.
Mohammed Nawaz also played a decent hand as he posted 28 in 22 balls. For South Africa, Anrich Nortje emerged as their best bowler as he picked up four wickets while giving away 44 runs. Whereas all other bowlers picked up one wicket each. Then in the second innings, South Africa didn’t have a great start as they lost two quick wickets in the first three overs.
Pakistan’s Shadab Khan once again shined as he picked up two wickets in two overs but Shaheen Afridi was the top performer with the ball thanks to his three-wicket spell where he gave away 14 runs in four overs.