ABU DHABI // Dale Steyn picked up just one wicket, but it took only one over from him to change the mood and complexion of the third ODI at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium last night.
Ahmed Shehzad had hurled Pakistan into a blistering start as they chased South Africa’s workmanlike 259. They had reached 50 in the eighth over and Shehzad had creamed seven pristine boundaries off Morne Morkel and Lonwabo Tsotsobe. The chase looked a doddle.
But having served notice in a threatening first over to Mohammad Hafeez, Steyn dismissed Shehzad in his second and as swiftly as their hopes had inflated, they were now punctured.
Imran Tahir, Morkel and Ryan McLaren all picked up more wickets as Pakistan duly combusted, but the match was effectively decided with Steyn’s intervention, South Africa ultimately cruising to a 68-run victory and a 2-1 series lead.
“Steyn is a wonderful bowler; he’s close to perfect,” De Villiers said. “He brings in intensity to the team and he ups the pace of the game. He brings this intensity which is irreplaceable.”
De Villiers’ messages before the game to his batsmen, urging them to buckle down and sweat out some substantial scores, had worked. Five of the top six got at least 34, notably Faf du Plessis. Under pressure after a series of low scores, Du Plessis moved up to No 3 and made a punchy half-century to give South Africa early impetus.
“Faf was under pressure to perform and that’s how big players perform,” De Villiers said.
JP Duminy and De Villiers himself worked a subtle but critical 70-run partnership full of hard running to take advantage and take South Africa to a solid score. “We want to come with the same kind of energy in the next match to win the series here itself, in the next ODI,” De Villiers said.
osamiuddin@thenational.ae
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