Shadab whirlwind keeps Pakistan's Cup hopes alive

Shadab Khan has kept Pakistan's faint T20 World Cup hopes alive after starring with bat and ball in his team's rain-affected 33-run win over South Africa.

Needing a win to remain a chance of progressing, Shadab whacked 52 from just 22 balls to help Pakistan take 117 from the final 10 overs and post 9-185 at the SCG on Thursday.

Then as South Africa began to edge ahead of the par score with rain falling at the SCG, the leg-spinner took two wickets in his first over that put Pakistan back in front with South Africa 4-69.

Players were then forced from the field for close to an hour and, when play resumed, the wickets meant the Proteas' equation went from 117 needed off 66 to an unlikely 73 off 30.

Shaheen Shah Afridi (3-14) also struck early after the break to halt any hopes South Africa had of a late charge, before wickets fell quick late and the Proteas finished on 9-108 after their 14 overs.

The win moves Pakistan to third in Group 2 with four points, needing to beat Bangladesh on Sunday and have India or South Africa be upset by Zimbabwe or Netherlands respectively.

For the Proteas, the equation is much simpler; if they beat Zimbabwe, they are through.

Crucially, it also means India are in the box seat to top Group 2 and likely face England or Australia in next week's semi-final.

But at stages before Shadab's influence, it didn't look like that would be the case.

Batting first, Pakistan slumped to 4-43 early when Anrich Nortje (4-41) took control, as Babar Azam's miserable World Cup continued with just six up top.

For a long time considered the best T20 bat in the world, Babar's tournament now reads 14 runs from four innings at a strike-rate of 46.66.

Shadab then helped revive Pakistan's innings with four big sixes, while Iftikhar Ahmed also hit 51 from 35 as the Proteas' fielding grew sloppy.

Together, the pair put on an 82-run sixth-wicket stand from 35 balls, with Iftikhar producing the biggest hit of the night when he pulled Lungi Ngidi 106m into the Brewongle Stand.

Shadab's work was only then half done, as his heroics with the ball set up the win after the Proteas had recovered from 2-16 to 2-65.

He had Temba Bavuma caught behind for 36 off the first ball he bowled and then went straight through Aiden Markram for 20 before the rain set in.