South Africa relived a familiar but agonising experience into a big match as they fell short by seven runs against Pakistan in the first semifinal of the World T20 at Trent Bridge on Thursday.
The tag of 'chokers', single which Graeme Smith would have loved to remove, will remain firmly attached to his team.
South Africa, unbeaten into the tournament so far, ran into an inspired Pakistan. But Smith's team was guilty of cracking under pressure, first when Shahid Afridi is in full flow and then by letting the Pakistan bowlers dictate terms.
Afridi did the star-turn with the bat and the ball, while Umar Gul bowled a strangulating line and length into the death to put Pakistan in their second consecutive final. Afridi struck in the seventh and ninth overs to remove South Africa's batting stars -- Herschelle Gibbs and AB De Villiers -- and get Pakistan back into the game after Jacques Kallis and Graeme Smith started off steadily.
Kallis was the star for South Africa making 64 but the disciplined Pakistan bowling also the rising run rate proved to be too much even for the experienced campaigner. Gul started off shakily but bowled two tight overs off which the South Africans could score just 12 runs.
Earlier, Afridi hit 51 off 34 balls as Pakistan made a challenging 149-4.The hard-hitting batsman smashed eight boundaries, including four during succession off Johan Botha, after Pakistan elected to bat. Pakistan, who was 120-3 after 15 overs, failed to build on the early advantage and managed just 29 runs in the final five overs.
South Africa regrouped after Afridi's assault also did not concede a boundary after 14.4 overs.
Pakistan captain Younus Khan returned unbeaten on 24, while Abdur Razzaq made 12. "It was not an easy wicket to bat on,the ball be not coming onto the bat," said.
Pakistan made a frantic start, racing to 28 off the first 15 deliveries but at the cost of two wickets. After Kamran Akmal had taken eight runs into Dale Steyn's first over, Shahzaib Hasan fellin the second over for zero when he miscued a big hit off left-arm seamer Wayne Parnell.
The tag of 'chokers', single which Graeme Smith would have loved to remove, will remain firmly attached to his team.
South Africa, unbeaten into the tournament so far, ran into an inspired Pakistan. But Smith's team was guilty of cracking under pressure, first when Shahid Afridi is in full flow and then by letting the Pakistan bowlers dictate terms.
Afridi did the star-turn with the bat and the ball, while Umar Gul bowled a strangulating line and length into the death to put Pakistan in their second consecutive final. Afridi struck in the seventh and ninth overs to remove South Africa's batting stars -- Herschelle Gibbs and AB De Villiers -- and get Pakistan back into the game after Jacques Kallis and Graeme Smith started off steadily.
Kallis was the star for South Africa making 64 but the disciplined Pakistan bowling also the rising run rate proved to be too much even for the experienced campaigner. Gul started off shakily but bowled two tight overs off which the South Africans could score just 12 runs.
Earlier, Afridi hit 51 off 34 balls as Pakistan made a challenging 149-4.The hard-hitting batsman smashed eight boundaries, including four during succession off Johan Botha, after Pakistan elected to bat. Pakistan, who was 120-3 after 15 overs, failed to build on the early advantage and managed just 29 runs in the final five overs.
South Africa regrouped after Afridi's assault also did not concede a boundary after 14.4 overs.
Pakistan captain Younus Khan returned unbeaten on 24, while Abdur Razzaq made 12. "It was not an easy wicket to bat on,the ball be not coming onto the bat," said.
Pakistan made a frantic start, racing to 28 off the first 15 deliveries but at the cost of two wickets. After Kamran Akmal had taken eight runs into Dale Steyn's first over, Shahzaib Hasan fellin the second over for zero when he miscued a big hit off left-arm seamer Wayne Parnell.
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