Gros Islet: Pakistan eliminated South Africa from the Twenty20 World Cup with an 11-run win over the Proteas in St Lucia on Monday, which kept their own qualification hopes alive.
The result meant England, who have won both opening Super Eight games, go through to the last four regardless of the outcome of their final match against New Zealand later on Monday.
Pakistan and South Africa both have two points from three matches but Pakistan have a superior run-rate.
New Zealand, also on two points, will go through with a win over England.
Umar Akmal struck 51 from 33 balls as Pakistan recovered from a poor start to make 148 for seven.
In reply, South Africa were only 56 for three after 10 overs but a spirited 53 off 41 balls from AB de Villiers gave them a fighting chance which they were unable to make the most of as Pakistan spinner Saeed Ajmal took four wickets.
Pakistan Innings
- Kamran Akmal c Gibbs b Van der Merwe 37
- Salman Butt c Smith b Steyn 2
- Khalid Latif c Steyn b Kallis 7
- Mohammad Hafeez lbw b Langeveldt 1
- Umar Akmal c Gibbs b Langeveldt 51
- Shahid Afridi b Langeveldt 30
- Abdul Razzaq not out 11
- Misbah-ul-Haq c De Villiers b Langeveldt 3
- Abdur Rehman not out 2
- Extras: (1lb, 3w) 4
- TOTAL: (for seven wickets) 148
- Overs: 20.
- Fall of wickets: 1-6, 2-14, 3-18, 4-69, 5-130, 6-132, 7-143.
- Did not bat: Mohammad Aamer, Saeed Ajmal.
- Bowling: Albie Morkel 4-0-28-0, Dale Steyn 4-0-26-1 (1w), Charl Langeveldt 4-0-19-4, Jacques Kallis 4-0-28-1, Johan Botha 2-0-13-0 (2w), Roelof van der Merwe 2-0-33-1.
South Africa Innings
- Herschelle Gibbs c Misbah b Razzaq 3
- Graeme Smith c Afridi b Rehman 13
- Jacques Kallis c Umar Akmal b Ajmal 22
- A.B. de Villiers c Kamran Akmal b Ajmal 53
- J.P. Duminy c Latif b Rehman 3
- Mark Boucher lbw b Ajmal 12
- Albie Morkel not out 7
- Johan Botha st Kamran Akmal b Ajmal 19
- Roelof van der Merwe not out 2
- Extras: (1lb, 2w) 3
- TOTAL: (for seven wickets) 137
- Overs: 20.
- Fall of wickets: 1-12, 2-23, 3-56, 4-68, 5-101, 6-113, 7-135.
- Did not bat: Dale Steyn, Charl Langeveldt.
- Bowling: Abdul Razzaq 3-0-16-1, Mohammad Aamer 4-0-33-0, Abdur Rehman 4-0-35-2 (2w), Mohammad Hafeez 1-0-5-0, Shahid Afridi 4-0-21-0, Saeed Ajmal 4-0-26-4.
- Result: Pakistan won by 11 runs.
- Man of the Match: Umar Akmal.
- Toss: Pakistan.
- Umpires: Ian Gould, England, and Billy Doctrove, Dominica.
- Third umpire: Billy Bowden, New Zealand. Match referee: Alan Hurst, Australia.
Can Pakistan do an encore from last year's World Cup? Is Afridi proving to be a more inspirational captain than his predecessors?
