4th ODI: Farhat, Misbah shine as Pak level series

South Africa face Pakistan in the fourth ODI here at Durban. South Africa, who lead the series 2-1, will be looking to wrap up the series with a win here.

Zeenews Sports Bureau

SCORECARD» I COMMENTARY» ==================================================================================== PAKISTAN Overs: 48.4 II Score: 236/7 (Shoaib 19*) After a bit of drama towards the end, Shoaib Malik played a magnificent square cut for a boundary as Pakistan won the fourth ODI by three wickets. And it wasn’t a century for Imran Farhat. The left-hander was desperate to reach his century as he failed to connect with the short ball on multiple occasions. He finally made some room off a short ball and was dismissed off a good catch by Behardien at cover-point. Wahab Riaz didn’t get to bat for a ball and was run-out. Saeed Ajmal was new at the crease and he showed no nervousness as he dispatched the first ball for a boundary and followed it with a risky single after which Malik did the rest. Pakistan have also levelled the series 2-2. Wahab Riaz run out 0 (1b) Imran Farhat c Behardien b Steyn 93 ==================================================================================== PAKISTAN Overs: 46 II Score: 222/5 (Farhat 91*) Shoaib Mallik who came to the crease after Afridi’s dismissal scored two boundaries and all he needed was some support from Farhat. The left-hander had spent enough time on the crease and he launched Steyn for a six straight down the ground in the 46th over. Pakistan now need 13 runs to level the series with 24 balls remaining. ==================================================================================== PAKISTAN Overs: 42 II Score: 191/5 (Farhat 75*) And only when the Pakistani fans thought their teams had levelled the series, Pakistan have lost two quick wickets. Nothing new with that. While the Pakistani skipper failed to clear long-on, Shahid Afridi scored a first ball boundary and perished off the second ball. No maiden ODI ton for Misbah and Afridi, once again, has disappointed. Shahid Afridi c de Villiers b Peterson 4 (2b) Misbah-ul-Haq c Behardien b Peterson 80 (93b) ==================================================================================== PAKISTAN Overs: 38 II Score: 174/3 (Misbah 77*, Farhat 68*) Slowly but steadily Misbah and Farhat have so far added 141 runs for the fourth wicket. The target is now well within their reach and credit must go to these two who haven’t put a foot wrong after Pakistan lost their third batsmen with just 33 runs on board. Misbah is also heading towards his maiden ODI ton, a special one. ==================================================================================== PAKISTAN Overs: 28 II Score: 113/2 ( Misbah 55*, Farhat 35*) So Misbah just did what he is best at. After playing ‘tuk-tuk’ cricket for some time he targeted the right bowler – Colin Ingram and he smashed 17 runs from his first over. Misbah also reached his fifty off the second six. Pakistan now require 127 runs from 32 overs. The partnership has now reached to 80 runs. ==================================================================================== PAKISTAN Overs: 20 II Score: 59/3 (Imran Farhat 20* ) Farhat and Misbah are taking their own sweet time and they are in no hurry whatsoever. They have stitched a 26-run partnership so far and are yet not scoring too many boundaries. Their current run rate is three runs per over and Pakistan would want at least one of them to change gears now. ==================================================================================== PAKISTAN Overs: 11 II Score: 33/3 ( Imran Farhat 12*) Pakistan have lost two more wickets in the last six overs as Kamran Akmal was dismissed off a good catch by Miller at point. Akmal was dismissed by Tsotsobe while Younis Khan was bowled by Kleinveldt off a slower ball. Imran Farhat is the set batsman at the crease. Younis Khan b Kleinveldt 6 (17b) Kamran Akmal c Miller b Tsotsobe 11 (13b) ==================================================================================== PAKISTAN Overs: 5 II Score: 17/1 (Kamran Akmal 11* ) Pakistan have lost their vice-captain Mohammad Hafeez off a controversial decision in the second over. Farhat took a single and insisted for a second run, Hafeez wasn’t convinced but he ran at last as the throw hit his leg. The South African went up in unison and appealed as they thought Hafeez obstructed the field. The third-umpire was consulted and he was declared out. While running the second run, Hafeez for a second looked back and then covered the line of the stumps, something which could have worked against him. Dale Steyn dropped Farhat in the fifth over which was a maiden. Mohammad Hafeez obstructing the field 0 (9m) ==================================================================================== South Africa have scored 234 for the loss of 9 wickets in their quota of 50 overs. Their innings started off in disastrous fashion when Irfan picked up two wickets in his first two balls. However, de Villiers and Miller lent some much nneded soilidity to the innings with half centuries that brought the Proteas innings on track. ==================================================================================== SOUTH AFRICA Overs: 50 II Score: 234/9 (Peterson: 25*, Tsotsobe: 5*) Junaid to bowl the last over of the innings. He picks up the wicket of Steyn first up. Tsotsobe comes into bat now. He plays one straight past the bowler and along the ground for a four. This shot would have done any frontline batsman proud. Peterson now reverse sweeps for another boundary. The last ball is flayed through the off side for another boundary. DW Steyn b Junaid Khan 9 (11m 9b 1x4 0x6) ==================================================================================== SOUTH AFRICA Overs: 46.5 II Score: 207/8 (Peterson: 13*) Kleinveldt is making his intentions pretty clear. He has hit Junaid and Irfan for boundaries and both of them werepowerfully hit but he misses a ful one from Irfan and the stumps go for a walk. RK Kleinveldt b Mohammad Irfan 18 (27m 22b 3x4 0x6) ==================================================================================== SOUTH AFRICA Overs: 45 II Score: 195/7 (Peterson: 10*, Kleinveldt: 9*) Pakistan have pulled things back a little. The dismissal of Miller and de Villiers has affected the run rate of the Proteas. Some tight bowling on display here from the tourists. ==================================================================================== McLaren tries to hoik one over mid off and manages to get good height on it but the tall Mohammad Irfan interferes and grasps the ball to dismiss the batsman. R McLaren c Mohammad Irfan b Saeed Ajmal 11 (23m 20b 0x4 0x6) ==================================================================================== SOUTH AFRICA Overs: 37.3 II Score: 170/6 (McLaren: 6*) Pakistan have got the big wicket of de Villiers. This one was going down the leg side and de Villiers was trying to help it through but he only got a knick through to the keeper who took a clean catch. The batsman did not look convinced but he has no review left. Pakistan players are delighted. AB de Villiers c Kamran Akmal b Saeed Ajmal 75 (108b 5x4 0x6) ==================================================================================== Replays confirm that the ball is hitting the stumps and that's the end of Miller. DA Miller lbw b Saeed Ajmal 67 (77b 7x4 0x6) ==================================================================================== Miller has been struck on the pads to a straighter one from Ajmal and the umpire has ruled in favour of the bowler. Miller is not convinced though and has opted for a review. ==================================================================================== SOUTH AFRICA Overs: 30 II Score: 133/4 (de Villiers: 59*, Miller: 53*) South Africa have put in a great effort here to recover afer losing four early wickets. de Villiers has been fantastic as always and has been ably supported by Miller. ==================================================================================== Miller has got to his half century. He has showed a lot of patience and has improved with every single delivery. His fifty includes five hits to the fence. ==================================================================================== SOUTH AFRICA Overs: 25 II Score: 108/4 (de Villiers: 53*, Miller: 34*) South Africa are putting up a good partnership here. de Villiers has looked very comfortable in the middle and Miller has provided good support although he has looked a bit uncomfortable against Ajmal. Afridi has come into the attack now and Miller guides one late towards third man for a boundary. ==================================================================================== de Villiers completes hi half century. Job is only half done though. He needs to carry on for South Africa to have any chance of building a decent total. ==================================================================================== Ajmal gets one to pitch on middle stump and the ball hits Miller's pads. The umpire says not out but Ajmal goes for the review. Replays show that the ball pitched in line but was a bit high and would have missed the stumps. Miller is given not out. ==================================================================================== SOUTH AFRICA Overs: 20 II Score: 85/4 (de Villiers: 40*, Miller: 24*) Ajmal comes into the attack now and he is greeted with a nice sweep shot that goes for a boundary. Good start to the over from Miller. South Africa are beginning to build a nice little partnership here and they will looking to carry it forward for some time. ==================================================================================== Miller loses his concentration after the drinks break. Lobs a short one from Hafeez straight to Farhat at mid wicket who puts down an easy catch. ==================================================================================== SOUTH AFRICA Overs: 15 II Score: 56/4 (de Villiers: 32*, Miller: 9*) Junaid Khan and Hafeez are bowling well in tandem for Pakistan. The South batsmen are not taking any risks at the moment as they realise that another wicket at this stage can spell doom for them. Even though they have lost four wickets the run rate is not very low so they can afford to take their time and focus on building a partnership. Irfan comes back into the attack for the 15th over and again troubles the batsmen with some steep bounce. ==================================================================================== SOUTH AFRICA Overs: 10 II Score: 38/4 (de Villiers: 24*) Junaid had been bowling really well and has finally been rewarded with the wicket of Smith. Behardiesn is the new man in the middle. South Africa need a partnership here. The last ball is pitched on off stump and the ball takes the inside edge of Behardien's bat which is wonderfully taken by Akmal behind the stumps. South Africa are in trouble here. Junaid is on fire. F Behardien c Kamran Akmal b Junaid Khan 1 (3b 0x4 0x6) ==================================================================================== Smith walks ahead and towards the off stump but the ball goes straight past his pads and crashes onto the leg stump. GC Smith b Junaid Khan 12 (22b 0x4 1x6) ==================================================================================== SOUTH AFRICA Overs: 7 II Score: 27/2 (Smith: 10 *, de Villiers: 16*) Irfan starts the seventh over with a short ball which Smith tries to pull but the ball falls to the left of the mid off fielder. He was not in control of that shot. This is what Irfan's height can do. Another short ball and this time he gets hold of the pull and the ball sails over the mid-wicket boundary for a six. ==================================================================================== SOUTH AFRICA Overs: 4 II Score: 15/2 (Smith: 0 *, de Villiers: 15*) de Villiers has hit two beautiful shots in this over for boundaries. Junaid's line was not really bad bu the sheer class of de Villiers on display here. ==================================================================================== SOUTH AFRICA Overs: 2 II Score: 4/2 (Smith: 0 *, de Villiers: 4*) Junaid Khan to bowl from the other end. He is getting the ball to swing a little and Smith gets the inside edge of the bat a couple of times. The ball is moving around a bit here. Maiden over. ==================================================================================== SOUTH AFRICA Overs: 1 II Score: 4/2 (Smith: 0 *, de Villiers: 4*) Mohammad Irfan starts with a bang. Two big wickets off the first two deliveries. A peach of a delivery outside off stump to Amla who edged it to the keeper followed by a perfect yorker to Ingram who is castled. Hat-trick ball is a full toss which de Villiers plays to the man at covers. De Villiers strokes a short ball to through covers for a boundary. Eventful over and what a beginning to this match. CA Ingram b Mohammad Irfan 0 (1b 0x4 0x6) HM Amla c Kamran Akmal b Mohammad Irfan 0 (1b 0x4 0x6) ==================================================================================== Toss: South Africa have won the toss and have elected to bat first. ==================================================================================== South Africa (Playing XI): Graeme Smith, Hashim Amla, Colin Ingram, AB de Villiers(w/c), David Miller, Farhaan Behardien, Ryan McLaren, Robin Peterson, Rory Kleinveldt, Dale Steyn, Lonwabo Tsotsobe Pakistan (Playing XI): Imran Farhat, Mohammad Hafeez, Kamran Akmal(w), Younis Khan, Misbah-ul-Haq(c), Shoaib Malik, Shahid Afridi, Wahab Riaz, Saeed Ajmal, Junaid Khan, Mohammad Irfan