How Pakistan dropped the match!

Catches win matches and dropped catches can cost you matches too!

If you drop a batsman of the calibre of Hashim Amla, you are surely bound to suffer big time and it happened to Pakistan, who were made to pay dearly for their lapse on the field.

Electing to bat first, South Africa made a cautious start before Hashim Amla nearly caved in to the pressure. He cut a short ball from left-arm pacer Mohammad Irfan but it went straight to Umar Amin at point who dropped the simple offering.

Amla was on seven at that point and he went to play a crucial innings on 81 on a difficult track in Birmingham where the batsmen found it difficult to get going.

Amla blossomed after a cautious start to score 81 from 97 balls to take South Africa to 234 for nine and in reply to Pakistan folded for 167 to lose by 67 runs.

Image: South Africa's Hashim Amla dives into the crease

Photograph: Philip Brown/Reuters