South Africa and Pakistan kicked off their three-match T20 series at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, with Pakistan winning the toss and choosing to bowl first. This match marked the highly anticipated return of Babar Azam to the T20 squad for the first time since December 2024.
The Proteas benefited from the return of Quinton De Kock, who made his first appearance since the 2024 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Final, although Lhuan-dre Pretorius was absent due to illness. Tony De Zorzi made his debut in this format.
In his debut as stand-in captain, Donvan Ferreira noted that he also would have opted to bowl first.
The Proteas launched a formidable batting performance, with De Kock scoring quickly and being supported by Reeza Hendricks. Despite De Kock's dismissal for 23 off 13, debutant De Zorzi maintained momentum with an impressive 33 off 16, helping the team accumulate 74 runs in the powerplay. However, after De Zorzi's stumping at the hands of Usman Khan, the middle order faltered.
The trio of Dewald Brevis, Matthew Breetzke, and Donovan Ferreira could only add 20 runs, struggling against the spin bowling of Saim Ayub and Mohammad Nawaz.
The spin duo claimed 5 wickets while conceding just 57 runs in their 8 overs.
Throughout these proceedings, Reeza Hendricks anchored the innings with a crucial 60 runs.
Just when Pakistan seemed to regain momentum, George Linde provided a vital lift with 36 runs off 22 balls, propelling South Africa to a total of 194/9.
In response, Pakistan started strong with Sahibzada Farhan hitting well before falling to Lizaad Williams. The much-anticipated return of Babar Azam was short-lived as he was dismissed for 0, becoming Corbin Bosch’s first wicket, quickly followed by Salman Agha for 2 - leaving the hosts in a difficult position.
Despite attempts to rebuild by Saim Ayub and Usman Khan, the chase fell apart after Ayub's dismissal for 37 runs, with the score at 82.
The team lost Hasan Nawaz, Usman Khan, and Faheem Ashraf for just 7 runs, putting Pakistan under immense pressure.
Mohammad Nawaz provided some fight towards the end with a brisk 36 off 20. It was fitting that Corbin Bosch was involved in the final dismissal, catching Nawaz off Lizaad Williams' bowling, finishing with remarkable figures of 4-14 from 4 overs.
Lizaad Williams contributed with 2-21, while George Linde’s impressive performance with both bat and ball featured 3-31, earning him the Player of the Match award.
The match concluded with South Africa securing a commanding 55-run victory, giving them confidence and momentum as they move forward in the series.
The next match is scheduled for Friday, 31 October at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.
Article by Riaz Hamed
No comments yet. Be the first to share your thoughts!