Poor Pakistan batting display no laughing matter

Batsmen of the 'home team' threw their wickets away to be bowled out for 98 before South Africa cantered to a nine-wicket win in the first of two Twenty20 internationals, reports Paul Radley.

Dale Steyn, second from left, was the destroyer-in-chief as the fast bowler took three Pakistan wickets in Dubai on Wednesday. Asif Hassan / AFP

DUBAI // Millions of people are said to be without a ticket for a cricket match they are craving to see in India this week.

As a second prize — and a very poor consolation prize, at that — maybe they would like one for the game in Dubai on Friday night instead.

The second Twenty20 match between Pakistan and South Africa at Dubai International Cricket Stadium is said to be close to a sell-out.

Surely there will be plenty of Pakistanis willing to part with their tickets, though, given the current malaise of their team.

Anything but sit through any more of this listless cricket their team are serving up currently.

It comes to something when an opposition player physically has to stop himself laughing at how bad they are.

When he had Mohammed Hafeez caught at the wicket off the second ball he had faced, Dale Steyn stopped at the end of his follow-through and put his hand over his mouth to suppress mirth. Harsh, but it summed up the mood.

T20 is supposed to be Pakistan’s thing. Both captains said as much on the eve of the game.

Faf du Plessis, South Africa’s leader in this format, reckoned the fragility Pakistan’s batting line-up showed in the one-day series would be less evident given the shorter timescale of these games.

Hafeez suggested his side would be more willing to play “fearless cricket” in the 20-over game. What a shocking couple of judges they proved to be.

The failings Pakistan’s top-order batsmen showed here were not excused by the format. They were the same old chronic ones.

Bowl a fourth-stump line to Hafeez and wait for him to nick off. Top of off or just outside to Ahmed Shahzad and Sohaib Maqsood and expect likewise.

This match arrived at the culmination of a miserable couple of weeks for Pakistan, who have been in need of a lift for a while.

Their supporters tried their best. Even on the bus drive in, the players will have known their compatriots were still with them, thanks to two massive Pakistan flags hanging from the tower blocks adjacent to the stadium.

The theme continued inside, with one early arriving supporter consuming a vast swathe of seats at the Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road End with a massive green-and-white flag.

By the time any latecomers had made it through rush-hour traffic on Hessa Street, though, Pakistan were already four for three. Game over before it had really even started.

Given Pakistan made only 98, South Africa only had to canter to get there. Their players made hay while the sun shone.

Steyn took three for 15. Lonwabo Tsotsobe a thrifty two for nine. Tahir took two more at a ground which must rank high among his favourites.

Quinton de Kock was involved in five dismissals — two caught, two stumped and a direct hit run out — then biffed two sixes in his 48, which hastened the Proteas to their nine-wicket win.