Tuesday night proved to be extremely disappointing for the Pakistan cricket team. South Africa defeated hosts Pakistan by 55 runs in the first T20 International match, taking a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
Sports News: In the first T20 International match played in Rawalpindi, South Africa registered a spectacular victory by defeating Pakistan by 55 runs. After winning the toss and opting to bat first, South Africa scored 194 runs for the loss of 9 wickets in the allotted 20 overs. Middle-order batsmen made significant contributions for the team and adopted an aggressive approach against the fast bowlers.
Chasing the target, the Pakistan team never looked in rhythm and was bundled out for 139 runs in 18.1 overs. South African bowlers delivered tight spells, putting the Pakistani batsmen under pressure.
South Africa's Dominant Performance
In the first T20I played in Rawalpindi, Pakistan captain Agha Salman won the toss and decided to bowl first. However, South Africa proved this decision wrong by setting a b total of 194 runs for 9 wickets in the allotted 20 overs. Reeza Hendricks played a magnificent innings of 60 runs off 40 balls, which included 5 fours and 1 six. Quinton de Kock (23) and Tony de Zorzi (33) also made crucial contributions alongside him.
Among Pakistani bowlers, Mohammad Nawaz was the most successful, claiming 3 wickets. Saim Ayub took 2 wickets, while Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, and Abrar Ahmed each got 1 wicket. Despite this, South Africa managed to cross the 190-run mark with aggressive batting in the final overs.
Babar Azam's Subdued Return
Chasing a target of 195 runs, Pakistan got a decent start. Sahibzada Farhan (24) and Saim Ayub (37) added 31 runs for the first wicket. But Lizaad Williams broke the partnership by clean bowling Farhan. Babar Azam then came to the crease, whose return had generated much excitement among fans. However, this excitement quickly fizzled out. Reeza Hendricks took a brilliant catch off Corbin Bosch's bowling, and Babar was dismissed for a duck without opening his account.
This wicket proved to be decisive for Pakistan. After this, the team never recovered, and wickets continued to fall at regular intervals. The failures of captain Agha Salman (2), Hasan Nawaz (3), and other batsmen plunged the team into crisis.
Linde and Bosch Rattle Pakistan
South African bowlers displayed excellent discipline. Corbin Bosch and George Linde broke the back of Pakistan's batting. Both bowlers claimed 3 wickets each, while Lizaad Williams took 2 and Lungi Ngidi got 1 wicket. For Pakistan, only Mohammad Nawaz (36 runs) managed to stay at the crease for a while, but he received no support from the other end. The entire team was all out for 139 runs in 18.1 overs.
Heroes of South Africa's Victory
The three main heroes of South Africa's victory in this match were —
- Reeza Hendricks: 60 runs (40 balls, 5 fours, 1 six)
- Corbin Bosch: 3 wickets, including the crucial wickets of Babar Azam and captain Agha Salman
- George Linde: All-round performance – 36 runs and 3 wickets
Thanks to their performances, South Africa defeated Pakistan on their home ground and took an early lead in the series. This three-match T20 series between the two teams has now reached an exciting juncture. The second match will be played on Friday in Lahore. For Pakistan, this will be a do-or-die match, as a loss would mean losing the series.
