Proteas wilt under Pakistan night sky

The Pakistan bowlers, led by Shaheen Shah Afridi, overpowered the South African batting line-up once again, restricting the visitors to 139 for nine in the third and final T20 International at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on Saturday evening.

Afridi (4-0-26-3) broke the donkey’s back in the first over, removing Quinton de Kock and Luan-dre Pretorius with consecutive balls, both without scoring, after Pakistan had won the toss, electing to field first.

Reeza Hendricks (34) and Dewald Brevis (21) stemmed the flow briefly with a 38-run stand for the third wicket from 42 deliveries, but introduction of the debutant spinner, Usman Tariq (4-0-26-2) broke the stand with Brevis, who struck two sixes, top-edged a pull shot to Babar Azam at mid-wicket.

Matthew Breetzke (1) lasted just four balls before being cleaned up by Muhammad Nawaz (3-0-38-1). Hendricks stood at the other end watching wickets tumble around him. Captain Donovan Ferreira (29) offered some glimmer of hope with a 14-ball stay.

Faheem Ashraf (4-0-28-2) grabbed two wickets in as many balls, first having Ferreira driving straight to Salman Agha at mid-off and then George Linde pulling powerfully into the hands of Hasan Nawaz at short mid-wicket.

Hendricks finally fell in pursuit of runs, sweeping Tariq into the hands of Hasan at backward square-leg. Andile Simelane (13) struck one lovely six over extra cover but then pulled Salman Mirza (4-0-16-1) to Afridi on the square-leg fence.

Lizaad Williams (5) failed to trouble the scorers much but Corbin Bosch managed to give the South African bowlers something to defend with an unbeaten 30 from 23 balls, which included just two fours.

Pakistan will be looking to knock over the Proteas as quickly as possible with the ICC T20 World Cup just around the corner.

The victory yesterday was Pakistan’s first victory over the Proteas in five matches with the visitors winning three and an abandonment in December 2024, although the Proteas’ T20 record lately sees just one win in five!

Pakistan: Saim Ayub, Sahibzada Farhan (wk), Babar Azam, Salman Ali Agha (capt), Usman Khan, Hasan Nawaz, Muhammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Salman Mirza, Usman Tariq.

South Africa: Quinton de Kock (wk), Reeza Hendricks, Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Dewald Brevis, Matthew Breetzke, Donovan Ferreira (capt), George Linde, Corbin Bosch, Andile Simelane, Lizaad Williams, Ottneil Baartman.