Pakistan’s troublesome top order collapsed against South Africa’s pace and Pakistan could have been 44-5 if Quinton de Kock hadn’t dropped a difficult catch behind the wickets when Iftikhar was on 2.
After Babar Azam’s fourth consecutive single-digit score, Mohammad Haris, in for the injured Fakhar Zaman, hit fast bowler Kagiso Rabada for two sixes and a four in a quickfire 28 off 11 balls before he was undone by Anrich Nortje’s pace and was out lbw.
Iftikhar capitalized on de Kock’s drop and added a half-century stand with Mohammad Nawaz.
But Shadab brought a boisterous Pakistan crowd to its feet with power hitting. South Africa struggled to stem the flow of runs under light drizzle, and the umpires kept the players on the field.
The 82-run stand in the last seven overs took Pakistan to 177-5 before South Africa hit back late with three wickets. Shadab and Iftikhar holed out in the deep. Nortje took 4-41.
Shaheen Afridi provided Pakistan with a perfect start to the chase with the wickets of de Kock and Rilee Rossouw but captain Temba Bavuma (36) and Aiden Markram (20) smashed fast bowler Haris Rauf for 37 runs off his first two overs to keep South Africa in the game.
Shadab turned the game back in Pakistan’s favor when he had Bavuma caught behind off his first ball and clean bowled Markram with a sharp googly. South Africa slipped to 66-4.
After the rain break, South Africa couldn’t cope with the pressure of scoring more than 14 an over.
“Definitely disappointing the way we ended our bowling and fielding,” Bavuma said. “Credit to them, they had the momentum and took it with them through the bowling innings. Netherlands next, a big game, we want to put this game past us as quickly as possible and come again.”