AUCKLAND — Pakistan pulled off a thrilling 29-run win over South Africa in the World Cup Saturday after Proteas captain AB de Villiers couldn't manage to carry his team to victory as his teammates collapsed around him. Pakistan scored just 222 in its rain-affected innings at Eden Park and appeared headed for defeat against South Africa's powerful batting lineup. The Proteas, needing 232 to win under the Duckworth-Lewis system, raced to 67-1 after nine overs but then collapsed, losing five wickets for 35 runs. De Villiers led a rearguard South African comeback, smashing 77 off 58 balls, but it wasn't quite enough as the team was all out for 202. The win puts Pakistan back in contention in the tournament after two early losses meant it was in a struggle just to make the quarterfinals. “We started playing good cricket, some aggressive cricket, which I think Pakistan cricket is known for in the past,” said coach Waqar Younis. “We started finding the right combination. People have started believing in themselves, players have started trusting their abilities.” Pakistan wicketkeeper Sarfraz Ahmed won Man-of-the-Match honors after scoring 49 and then equaling the world record for a one-day match by taking six catches. It was his first game in the tournament, after he was brought in as a replacement for struggling opener Nasir Jamshed. De Villiers said it felt like South Africa didn't have enough energy. “I just could feel that nothing was really happening at 100 percent,” he said. “It was almost like a car that's stuck in second or third gear, and that's not going to win you cricket games, especially not under pressure and in big tournaments like this.” Two rain delays during Pakistan's innings suspended play for about 75 minutes in total, reducing the match to 47 overs per side. In the end, neither side batted out their overs. South Africa won the toss and sent Pakistan in to bat. A number of batsmen got off to promising starts but didn't follow through with big scores. Captain Misbahul Haq led the way with a solid knock of 56. Pakistan put on 30 runs for the first wicket, the best start it has made in this World Cup after managing a top score of just 11 in its previous four games. The team's decision to replace its struggling opener with Sarfraz paid off big time. In his innings, he started slowly but then began to dominate, smashing three sixes in one over off J.P. Duminy. But his innings came to an end when he was run out by David Miller for 49. Shahid Afridi led a late charge, scoring 22 runs off 15 balls. But he was the only Pakistan batsman to score better than a run a ball, and the team lost its last five wickets, including Afridi, for just 10 runs. South Africa, after losing the early wicket of Quinton de Kock, appeared poised to crush Pakistan as it scored at more than seven runs per over. Opener Hashim Amla crashed eight consecutive fours to open his tally, finally hitting a two before smashing a ninth boundary. But then Francois du Plessis was caught behind in the 10th over, sparking a surprising collapse. Amla, who had looked in complete control, was out the same way in the next over for 38 to a spectacular one-handed catch by Sarfraz. Rilee Rossouw tried to hook a ball over fine leg but was caught near the boundary, and then David Miller was out lbw for a duck. South Africa was suddenly in deep trouble at 77 for five. All-rounders De Villiers and J.P. Duminy looked to steady the innings. But then Duminy fell with the score at 102 and Pakistan found itself bowling to the tail, as bowler Dale Steyn came to the wicket. De Villiers tried to win it almost solo from there, but when he was out with South Africa at 200, it was all but over. “I'm not blaming anyone. I'm not saying anyone didn't have the energy. I just didn't feel any electric vibe at the warm-up,” said de Villiers. “That is normally a bit of an alarm bell going off for me. It is my responsibility to try to get the guys going, which I couldn't, so maybe I should take responsibility for that. “So we need to have a chat about what maybe went wrong tonight and try to get to fifth gear again against the UAE — its concluding pool game in Wellington Thursday. De Villiers said he retained full faith in his team who are still on course for a last-eight place. “I've got full faith in the ability of the players around me. That's why they're all here. I know I can't win this World Cup alone. I need my teammates.” — Agencies
