South Africa exit yet again

For the third consecutive time, South Africa have given a grand exit from the world cup after losing to Pakistan at Gros Islet by 11 runs. The margin of victory for Pakistan might not seem to be that good but, the match against the Proteas was worth wining for both teams one, for South Africa to make it to the semis and second for Pakistan to keep their hopes alive in making it to the semis. Pakistan has lost both their earlier games to England and New Zealand while South Africa have a win against New Zealand and a loss to England.

With all gates being close for South Africa, Pakistan has a chance of making it to the semi-finals in case England happen to win over New Zealand. In case New Zealand win, the semi-finalists would be the two teams which beat Pakistan in the super eight stage. Coming to the match, the pitch never seemed to favor the batsmen when both Pakistan and South Africa had a bowler in their team who could scalp 4 wickets. Or else, a total of 147 is hard to defend. This is for the 2^nd time that Pakistan have ousted South Africa from T20 world cup.

Last time year, Pakistan had knocked off South Africa (who were until then unbeaten) in the semi-finals of the tournament en route to their successful campaign in England. Looking at the scorecard, After Kamran Akmal's stint at the top, Pakistan had to wait until the entry of Umar Akmal to see their scoreboard ticking once again. It was Umar Akmal's 51 runs along with a 61 run partnership with Shahid Afridi which laid the platform for a decent score on a bowler friendly pitch which went on to become a winning total for them. Shahid Afridi's 30 runs from 16 balls should also not go unnoticed.

Coming to the batting of the South Africans, initial blows from Asif and Abdul Razzaq was more than enough for viewers to come to conclusion of the match. If not for AB deVilliars, no other batsmen really had something to talk about. In the end, South Africa lost equal number of wickets as Pakistan but fell 11 runs short of what Pakistan could put up on the scoreboard. Now, all that Pakistan would want to happen is that England win thrashes the Kiwis which will see Pakistan making to the semis of a T20 world cup for the third consecutive time.

South Africa's Loss Not A Big Issue

Well most of the viewers of the first T20 final of the ongoing T20 world cup between South Africa and Pakistan would be cursing the South African players for getting eliminated yet again from a mega event after being unbeaten until then in the tournament. However, if one would ask me regarding the same, I say that there was nothing official in the South Africa's defeat over Pakistan. The T20 format of the game itself is like that. This is no test or an one day international match for anyone to expect something like this. Nothing can be taken for granted in this game's format.

South Africa have never been the favourites of the T20 world cup. Not even after the wins against say West Indies, New Zealand or even India for that matter was convincing in this tournament. The win against the West Indies saw the West Indies' batting dominated only by one batsman who scored 77. It was a 1 run win for the Proteas against New Zealand. Agreed that a win is a win irrespective of the margin of the same whatsoever. The only convincing victory for South Africa was against England where the Proteas could breathe easy after their 7 wicket win. They never faced either Australia, Sri Lanka or Pakistan to prove their myth in this world cup.

Rather than taking conclusions from their previous losses at crucial stages of any ICC sponsored mega events, it would be better for one to take into consideration the way the South Africans have played their game off late and where they stand in the T20 ratings. They were placed well below Australia, India and England in the latest T20 ratings. On the other hand, Pakistan played better cricket comparitively if not for their losses against Sri Lanka and England. The game of cricket is not only about winning or losing but the way the players show their class in the game. And when it came to class, the Pakistan were way ahead of South Africa.

It would not be right to say that the Proteas got carried away after their success until then. Despite losing to England and Sri Lanka back to back, Pakistan never let the opposition cut loose and pulled a one sided victory from Ireland and New Zealand. Both the teams were no where in the picture when Umar Gul sent devastating spells and Shahid Afridi got the ball to turn. There was Gibbs, De Villiars and Morkel who could have done the job for the Proteas which was not the case. And what sort of a team is South Africa who could not contain a part time bowler like Afridi? It was the losses against England & Sri Lanka that made Pakistan wake up from sleep and the victories for South Africa to only remain temperory favourites.

I think that South Africa did deserve to lose and Pakistan to advance to the finals for the second time in a T20 world cup.