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Pakistan batted brilliantly, says South African skipper

DUBAI — Pakistan scored an unlikely one-wicket victory over South Africa in the fourth one-dayer at Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Friday.

While addressing a press conference after the match, South African captain Graeme Smith said: “We put up a good total on the board and I think 274 was a winning one.

“Keeping in mind Pakistan’s batting, we were hoping to wrap the series up. But they batted brilliantly and especially Younis played a big role in the match.

“They started well and kept the run rate in check. They lost the wicket in the first over but played positively and took the game away from us.

“We managed to create pressure here and there and we had a chance to win it but wenever took it. But it ended up being a good kind of cricket.”

While talking about the comeback of twoSouth African fast bowlers — Dale Steyn and Wayne Parnell— Smith said: “I will not putthe blame on guys’ shoulders but they will bevery disappointedthe way the things have gone against them.

“They were away from the game for a while and they need time to be in their prime shape. I hope they will perform better in the final match.

“We need to get behind them and they have got potential to perform better. We will sort the things out and we will be ready for the final match.

Smith lead from the front by scoring 92 runs and when he was at the crease it looked like that South Africa will touch the figure of 300. But Pakistani bowlers did a great job in the middle overs to restrict them. Botha’s arrival at the sparked a flurry of boundaries and Proteas garnered 54 runs in the last five overs.

Smith said: “It was not easy to bat first, the ball was not coming on the bat as we expected. In the second innings, dew played amajor role and because of wet ball our bowling suffered. But again I would say itwas a winning total andhad we bowled to our potential and fielded well, we would have won the match easily.

“After Abdul Razzaq’s dismissal we hoped to wrap the things up but Pakistan’s tailenders Wahab Riaz and Zulqarnain Haider batted brilliantly. They took risks and at the same time we committed some mistakes in the field.”

liaqat@khaleejtimes.com