Women's Cricket World Cup: South Africa survive to beat Pakistan

South Africa survived to beat Pakistan by six runs in another thrilling finish at the Women's Cricket World Cup.

After Laura Wolvaardt made 75 and Sune Luus 62 to take South Africa to 223-9, Pakistan looked beaten when needing 52 from six overs with four wickets left.

But Nida Dar and Diana Baig kept them in it, only for Dar to crucially be run out for 55 in the 49th over.

With 10 needed off the last, Shabnim Ismail brilliantly held Baig, and Pakistan were 217 all out.

The grandstand finale in Tauranga is one more superb conclusion at a tournament which has already seen West Indies pull off close wins against New Zealand and England, who themselves almost completed an audacious run-chase against Australia.

It leaves South Africa with two victories from two matches before their meeting with winless England on Monday.

For Pakistan, the lowest-ranked side in the tournament, it is an agonising defeat, but another superb showing after they acquitted themselves well against India and Australia.

Their chase was built on patience. Umaima Sohail took 104 balls over 65, sharing stands of 69 with Nahida Khan and 49 with Dar.

Just as Sohail and Dar were looking to accelerate, Dar was caught at deep square leg off Masabata Klaas, the first of three wickets for 18 runs.

Still, Dar chipped away, first with Sidra Nawaz, then Baig. With 22 required from the final two overs, Baig hit back-to-back boundaries, only for Dar to be run out at the non-striker's end by Chloe Tryon's throw from long-on.

Baig was on strike for the final over, but Ismail held her nerve, running towards mid-wicket to hold a superb catch off her own bowling and effectively end the contest.

While the Proteas were indebted to Ismail's coolness under pressure, they also needed