Wobbly Pakistan edge South Africa to win series

CENTURION: All rounder Mohammad Nawaz hit two sixes in the last two overs to help Pakistan win the T20I series against South Africa 3-1 here on Friday.

Having bowled out the hosts for 144, Pakistan were curising before a mid-innings collapse left them needing 16 off the last two overs with four wickets intact.

Nawaz struck a six off the penultimate over, a free hit, and another maximum off the fifth ball of the last over to seal the series result. He scored 25 off 21 balls.

Pakistan had been cruising towards the target before Fakhar Zaman’s dismissal in the 10th over — when Pakistan had scored 92 — triggered an implosion. Captain Babar Azam followed soon afterwards. And so did the next four batsmen, of whom Mohammad Hafeez was the highest scorer with 10. Pakistan managed only 37 for 5 in overs 10-18.

Fakhar and Babar scored 91 for the second wicket after Muhammad Rizwan had fallen off the second ball of the match without scoring a run.

Fakhar continued his sublime form, hitting four sixes in his 60 off 34 balls. He also hit five boundaries. Babar’s 24 run knock, off 23 balls, included three fours.

Eariler, Pakistan came back splendidly to bowl out the South Africans under 150 after they had reached 73 for just one wicket in the ninth over.

Janneman Malan (33) and Rassie van der Dussen (52) scored briskly after Aiden Markram had fallen to Nawaz. But once their partnership was broken, no South African batsman was able to reach double figures as pacers Faheem Ashraf, Haris Rauf and Hassan Ali struck regularly.

Faheem, who was later declared man of the match, got three for 17 in four overs. Hassan, who conceded 40 in his four overs, also captured three wickets. Haris was, however, economical, taking two for 18 in 3.3 overs.

Shaheen Shah Afridi also bowled economically, taking one for 19 in four overs. Nawaz grabbed one wicket for 40 in four overs.

While Pakistan made no changes for the final game of the series, South Africa made two changes to the XI that lost at the same venue two days ago. Left-arm seamer Beuran Hendricks was omitted in favour of an extra spinner in Bjorn Fortuin, while the batting line-up was shortened with Pite van Biljon missing out and allrounder Wiaan Mulder getting his maiden T20I cap.

Score Board

Pakistan won toss

South Africa

Janneman Malan c Fakhar b Faheem 33

Aiden Markram lbw b Nawaz 11

Rassie van der Dussen c Hafeez b Rauf 52

Heinrich Klaasen c Shaheen b Faheem 9

George Linde c †Rizwan b Faheem 3

Wiaan Mulder c Babar Azam b Hasan 6

Andile Phehlukwayo c † Rizwan b Hasan 1

Sisanda Magala c Fakhar b Hasan Ali 7

Bjorn Fortuin c Babar b Shaheen 8

Lizaad Williams not out 2

Tabraiz Shamsi c †Rizwan b Haris 0

Extras (b 4, lb 6, nb 1, w 1) 12

TOTAL (19.3 Ov, all out) 144

Fall: 1-16 (Aiden Markram, 1.6 ov), 2-73 (Janneman Malan, 8.3 ov), 3-109 (Heinrich Klaasen, 12.5 ov), 4-112 (Rassie van der Dussen, 13.3 ov), 5-119 (George Linde, 14.6 ov), 6-121 (Wiaan Mulder, 15.4 ov), 7-122 (Andile Phehlukwayo, 15.5 ov), 8-141 (Sisanda Magala, 17.6 ov), 9-142 (Bjorn Fortuin, 18.3 ov), 10-144 (Tabraiz Shamsi, 19.3 ov)

Bowling: Shaheen Shah Afridi 4-0-19-1, Mohammad Nawaz 4-0-40-1, Haris Rauf 3.3-0-18-2, Hasan Ali 4-0-40-3, Faheem Ashraf 4-0-17-3

Pakistan

Rizwan st †Klaasen b Fortuin 0

Babar Azam c Shamsi b Williams 24

Fakhar Zaman c Mulder b Williams 60

Hafeez c Williams b Shamsi 10

Haider Ali c Fortuin b Phehlukwayo 3

Asif Ali c & b Magala 5

Faheem Ashraf c Markram b Magala 7

Mohammad Nawaz not out 25

Hasan Ali not out 2

Extras (lb 2, nb 4, w 7) 13

TOTAL (19.5 Ov, 7 wickets) 149

Did not bat: Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf

Fall: 1-1 (Mohammad Rizwan, 0.2 ov), 2-92 (Fakhar Zaman, 9.2 ov), 3-98 (Babar Azam, 9.5 ov), 4-104 (Haider Ali, 11.2 ov), 5-110 (Mohammad Hafeez, 13.4 ov), 6-115 (Asif Ali, 14.3 ov), 7-129 (Faheem Ashraf, 18.2 ov)

Bowling: Bjorn Fortuin 3-0-26-1, Wiaan Mulder 2-0-14-0, Lizaad Williams 3.5-0-39-2, Sisanda Magala 4-0-33-2, Tabraiz Shamsi 4-0-21-1, Andile Phehlukwayo 2-0-11-1, George Linde 1-0-3-0

Result: Pakistan won by 3 wickets

Man of the Match: Faheem Ashraf (PAK)

Umpires: Adrian Holdstock and Shaun George (RSA)