Pakistan lift Sharjah Cup as South Africa choke in final chase
Source: Sport Scene - April 2000

Pakistan withstood a gallant South African chase to win the Sharjah Cup with a dramatic 16-run victory in the final here at Sharjah. Facing Pakistan’s formidable 263 for six, the South Africans were comfortably placed at 198 for four in the 40th over, needing another 66 runs off the final 60 deliveries with six wickets in hand. Fast bowler Waqar Younis, however, engineered a great Pakistani fightback as three wickets tumbled in the space of one run to restrict South Africa to Waqar, who on earlier became the second bowler after
team-mate Wasim Akram to achieve the 300-wicket mark, finished with four for 62.

Off-spinner Arshad Khan chipped in with three wickets. Backed by a screaming sell-out crowd of 20,000, Waqar removed Nicky Boje and Lance Klusener off successive balls in his seventh over and clean bowled Shaun Pollock in his ninth. The 30-year-old then sealed South Africa’s fate by shattering the stumps of danger man Mark Boucher - 57 off 49 balls - off his final delivery. Pakistan’s second win over South Africa in their last 16 encounters gave them their 12th title at this popular desert venue. Hansie Cronje, seeking his 100th one-day win as captain, contributed to the exciting finale with a brilliant 79 off 73 balls that included
six boundaries and three huge sixes. Young Neil McKenzie, anchoring the innings in place of the injured opener Gary Kirsten, batted till the 40th over to make 58. Cronje and McKenzie survived the loss of Herschelle Gibbs and Jacques Kallis by the eighth over to add 105 for the third wicket off 127 balls.

Boucher smashed three fours and as many sixes to continue the hunt for an improbable win, before Man-of-the-Match Waqar turned the game in Pakistan’s favour.

Earlier, Pakistan’s total revolved around a sparkling century stand between young openers Imran Nazir and Shahid Afridi, who both hit half-centuries. The pair rattled up 123 by the 22nd over after captain Moin Khan won his fifth successive toss in the tournament and elected to take first strike. The middle-order lost its way before Inzamam-ul-Haq smashed 53 to leave the South Africans chasing a victory target of more than five runs an over. The 18-year-old Nazir hit seven boundaries and two sixes in his 69. Afridi made 52 off 48 balls
studded with five fours and a six. It needed a sensational catch at deep mid-off by Kallis to break the opening partnership and lift South Africa’s drooping spirits. Kallis ran back to judge the skier from Afridi off Klusener’s first ball, then dived to his left to pick up the swirling ball inches off the ground. South Africa grabbed three wickets for 16 runs as Nazir was stumped off a wide ball from Derek Crookes and Younis Khan was trapped leg-before by Klusener for four. Inzamam and Yousuf Youhana added 65 for the fourth wicket when Kallis gave South Africa another lease of life with two wickets in the 43rd over. He forced Youhanna to pop an easy catch to short mid-wicket and then had Moin leg-before to make Pakistan 209 for
five. Abdur Razzaq remained unbeaten on a brisk 28. Wasim Akram was not out on five when the overs ran out.