LAHORE – Pakistan Thursday defeated South Africa by three runs in the first T20 match in Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium.
With the fabulous ton of Mohammad Rizwan, Pakistan set a respectable target of 170 runs for visiting team. However, bowling-line especially Usman Qadir managed to restrict Proteas to 166 score in 20 overs.
Winning moments!#PAKvSA Highlights: https://t.co/hSBVHU1ZMR#HarHaalMainCricket #BackTheBoysInGreen pic.twitter.com/IqS0UU89iW
— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) February 11, 2021
Haris Rauf and Qadir took two wickets each while Faheem Ashraf sent the first player of South Africa to pavilion.
Earlier today, South Africa won toss and elected to field first.
Pakistan suffered an early loss when skipper Babar Azam was run out by Bjorn Fortuin on the second ball of the match for zero score.
Green shits lost its second key player Haider Ali in sixth over when was caught out by Jacques Snyman. Haider was replaced by Hussain Talat, who tried to give a push to score with two back-to-back fours but he was sent to pavilion in 10 over.
At the time when Pakistan were struggling for build a respectable target, Mohammad Rizwan served blows to visitors with smashing batting. He made 104 runs off 63 balls with seven 6s and five 4s.
Earlier, Pakistan had whitewashed South Africa 2-0 in the Test series and remain confident, while the visiting side is eager to make amends in the shortest format.
Pakistan is presently ranked fourth on the ICC T20I Rankings Table with 259 points, nine points behind India (268), while South Africa are fifth on 252 points. If Pakistan sweeps the series, they will rise to 263 points, five points behind India, while South Africa will join New Zealand on 247 points but will be ranked below New Zealand on sixth points when the points are calculated beyond the decimal point.
The two sides featured in a T20I series on Pakistan soil for the first time. Pakistan’s previous two home T20I series were played in the United Arab Emirates in 2010 and 2013, which were won by South Africa by an identical 2-0 margin.
In the six T20I series to date, the only time Pakistan has won a series was in South Africa in March 2013 when they won the Centurion match by 95 runs after the Durban T20I was washed out.
The series is part of Pakistan’s preparation for this year’s ICC T20 World Cup 2021. In the lead up to the 16-tournament, Pakistan will feature in, at least, 17 T20Is, including home T20Is against South Africa, New Zealand, and England, while their away T20I engagements will be against South Africa, Zimbabwe, England, and the West Indies.
Pakistan aim to earn T20I ranking points with an eye on the World Cup #PAKvSA T20I series: https://t.co/iKVDAXAhkX #HarHaalMainCricket | #BackTheBoysInGreen pic.twitter.com/NwUfzlbj91
— PCB Media (@TheRealPCBMedia) February 10, 2021
Here is the schedule for the series:
1st T20I – February 11 – Thursday – 6:00pm at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore
2nd T20I – February 13 – Saturday – 6:00pm at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore
3rd T20I – February 14 – Sunday – 6:00pm at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore
Squads
Pakistan: Babar Azam (c), Aamer Yamin, Amad Butt, Asif Ali, Danish Aziz, Faheem Ashraf, Haider Ali, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Hussain Talat, Iftikhar Ahmed, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usman Qadir, Zafar Gohar, and Zahid Mehmood.
South Africa: Heinrich Klaasen (captain) Nandre Burger, Okuhle Cele, Junior Dala, Bjorn Fortuin, Reeza Hendricks, George Linde, Janneman Malan, David Miller, Andile Phehlukwayo, Dwaine Pretorius, Ryan Rickleton, Tabraiz Shamsi, Lutho Sipamla, Jon-Jon Smuts, Pite van Biljon, Glenton Stuurman and Jacques Snyman.
