Razzler Dazzles - Second ODI Review

Pakistan Levels Series 1-1 Against South Africa Thanks To Abdul Razzaq's Heroics At Abu Dhabi

Nothing was going right for Pakistan till the start of the second ODI. But Abdul Razzaq decided to change their fate single-handedly. He won the match on the penultimate ball of the last over by hitting listless Albie Morkel for a cracking four to cover-point. It was in fact a day-light robbery because for 99 out of the 100 overs South Africa were clasping the match by the throat. After being white-washed in T20s Pakistan came into the ODI series without any momentum or confidence. First ODI proved the frailty and insipidness of the batting line-up once again. Going into the second ODI Pakistan needed the senior men like Afridi, Abdul Razzaq, Shoaib and Ajmal to come good and instill some confidence in the team.

South Africa won the toss and elected to bat despite losing the services of Graeme Smith and Jacques Kallis through injuries. Pakistan started dreadfully with 14 runs being taken of Shoaib’s opening over and 9 runs from Abdul Razzaq’s over. Hashim Amla who is in the form of his life was hitting even good deliveries for four. Pakistan got respite when Abdul got Petersen who played across the line and was bowled. Colin Ingram the new batting sensation for South Africa was promoted to one down position but did not look settled initially against the quicks. He started off with a lucky boundary between keeper and first slip but grew in confidence without taking too much time. They put on 84 runs before Hashim Amla missed a ball from Afridi which did not turn and got LBW on 65 off 62 balls. AB de Villiers started cautiously but by this time Ingram had settled into his innings after enjoying some lucky moments. He nicked through the first slip on four or five occasions as the ball was turning but Afridi was too defensive in his approach. Ajmal was bowling well but was handicapped by poor captaincy from Afridi. A slip could have got Ingram and put Pakistan on top. Both increased the scoring rate during their vital partnership of 86 runs. Pakistan got the breakthrough in the 37th over when de Villiers yorked himself off an Afridi delivery. After 38 overs South Africa were 200 for 3 and on course for a total beyond Pakistan’s reach.  After completing a good hundred Colin Ingram had luck going against him for a change when Aleem Dar of all people gave him out LBW on a reverse swinging ball going down the leg stump. At this juncture Pakistan pulled the things back a bit by taking some quick wickets. They were 246 for 6 after 46 overs. JP Duminy changed gears and took South Africa to a commanding 286/8 after 50 overs with a quick fire 54 off 43 balls including 3 fours and a six. South Africa would have wished 300 at one point but were not too unhappy with the total they got and now the onus was on Pakistan to show some fight.

Pakistan started off in a bad fashion when they were reduced to 31 for 2 in 8.1 overs. Younis Khan was looking in good touch but got a shocker from Rod Tucker when he gave him LBW despite a big nick. Younis had hit four delightful boundaries and was looking good for a big innings. Misbah’s hit-or-block approach did not last long and Hafeez despite being in form again proved that he at best is a mediocre player as he could not build on a start once more. Pakistan was reeling at 70 for four in the 19th over with Fawad Alam struggling to rotate the strike and Afridi coming in with a huge task ahead. 217 runs were required off 31.3 overs and indeed another defeat was looming.

After starting sensibly this time Afridi got his game going by hitting a four and a six off two consecutive Petersen deliveries. Pakistan reached 100 in 24th over with an air of expectation in the stadium now. Just when it seemed all was going well for Pakistan Afridi lost his mind and tamely holed out to Ingram off Tsotsobe at mid-on for a well-played but insufficient 49 off 40 balls. Pakistan were 136 for 5 in 29.2 overs and asking rate was 7.5. The dressing room at this point was displaying the scenes of a quiet court-room as if some one had been handed a capital punishment.  Abdul Razzaq who had not achieved a score of more than fifty in four years started cautiously. Fawad Alam was now showing more intent and together with Razzler’s six here and a six there hopes for a miracle win resurfaced. Batting power-play was taken at a very opportune time with 87 needed off the last 10. Abdul stole eleven of the Botha’s over and the ball was rolling for Pakistan. Alam who was cramping for most of his stay perished after a sensible 48 off 68 balls. Next three batsmen tried their best to gift the match to the opposition by playing like retards and running like toddlers. Zulqarnain, Wahab Riaz and Saeed Ajmal ran themselves out leaving Abdul wondering at the other end but with a reinforced belief that he will have to do it all himself. Sensing this he started to farm the strike and refused several singles. He was in such a hitting form that he knew he could hit two or three sixes every over till the very end. He kept his cool without showing any nerves or emotions when he unleashed the fury of his bat on Charl Langeveldt and collected 20 runs in the 47th over with three colossal sixes. Method was simple, backing away a little, clearing the front leg and hitting the ball in the arc between cover-point and deep mid-wicket. It came down to 33 off the last 3 overs a manageable equation but the loss of Ajmal through preposterous running meant South Africa had regained belief as the last wicket could fall any time.

25 off two overs but most importantly Shoaib played out the last ball safely to ensure the strike was with Razzler for the 14 run-requiring last over. Abdul Razzaq missed the yorker which went between his legs but it seemed as if he knew the next ball would go for six which it did actually. Third ball also went a long way taking Abdul to his third ODI hundred and arguably the best of the best ODI knocks of all time. Razzaq you beauty Waqar would have screamed on air. The fifth ball went screamingly to the cover boundary and Razzler ran screaming to a thankful dressing room. Waqar hugged him, Afridi thanked him and all the Pakistan supporters had either tears in their eyes or were looking up towards heavens to say “Thanks Almighty”! Quite magnificently Abdul Razzaq had collected 62 off the last 65 runs required to square the series at 1-1 and reviving hopes of a nation just before the all important world cup.