SA spoil Akhtar’s comeback party

Younis Khan (58) and Mohammad Yousuf (53) shared a valuable 106-run partnership off 134 balls before Pakistan stuttered in their chase with Albie Morkel grabbing four wickets for 44 and man of the match Makhaya Ntini taking 4-61. Khan and Yousuf departed in the space of 19 deliveries that opened Pakistan’s suspected lower order. Captain Shoaib Malik was clean bowled by Morkel for 23 in the 41st over and Misbah-ul-Haq was brilliantly caught by Jean-Paul Duminy off Ntini.

AB de Villiers took a brilliant running catch to dismiss Shahid Afridi and Pakistan lost their last two wickets at the same total that left the home supporters stunned. Earlier, Akhtar halted South Africa with three wickets in his last three overs that included Kallis.

SCOREBOARD

South Africa: H Gibbs b Iftikhar 54, G Smith b Akhtar 0, J Kallis c Malik b Akhtar 86, AB de Villiers c Nazir b Malik 17, J Duminy c Akmal b Iftikhar 44, M Boucher c Malik b Akhtar 5, S Pollock c Tanvir b Iftikhar 2, A Morkel b Akhtar 5, J Botha b Tanvir 0, A Nel not out 3, M Ntini not out 3, Extras: (4lb, 6w, 4nb) 14; Total: (For 9 wkts) 233

Fall of wickets: 1-7, 2-87, 3-119, 4-194, 5-202, 6-205, 7-226, 8-226, 9-230

Bowling: Akhtar 9-0-43-4, Tanvir 6-0-38-1, Iftikhar 10-0-45-3, Afridi 10-0-44-0, Rehman 10-0-36-0, Malik 5-0-23-1.

Pakistan: I Nazir c Boucher b Ntini 17, K Akmal b Ntini 24, Y Khan c Morkel b Pollock 58, M Yousuf c Boucher b Duminy 53, S Malik b Morkel 23, Misbah c Duminy b Ntini 19, S Afridi c de Villiers b Ntini 9, S Tanvir lbw b Morkel 0, A Rehman not out 7, R Iftikhar c Boucher b Morkel 0, S Akhtar c Nel b Morkel 0, Extras: (2lb, 7w) 9; Total: (all out, 46.3 overs) 219

Fall of wickets: 1-22, 2-43, 3-149, 4-160, 5-199, 6-209, 7-209, 8-219, 9-219.

Bowling: Pollock 9-0-34-1, Ntini 9-0-61-4, Nel 10-1-32-0, Morkel 8.3-0-44-4, Kallis 3-0-15-0, Botha 6-0-25-0, Duminy 1-0-6-1.