RAWALPINDI, OCT 28: Reeza Hendricks’s anchoring half-century, followed by Corbin Bosch’s four-wicket haul, led South Africa to thump Pakistan by 55 runs in the first T20I of the three-match series here at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Tuesday.
Chasing a daunting 195-run target, the home side’s batting unit could yield 139 before being bowled out in 18.1 overs.
Pakistan got off to a cautious start to the pursuit, with Sahibzada Farhan and Saim Ayub putting together 31 runs before the former, who dominated the opening stand, was cleaned up by Lizaad Williams in the fifth over after scoring 24 off 19 with the help of four fours.
The Green Shirts then suffered another massive blow as returning star batter Babar Azam fell for a two-ball duck off Corbin Bosch, who struck again in his next to remove Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha (two), bringing the total down to 43/3 in 7.2 overs.
Following the back-to-back setbacks, Ayub looked to launch a counterattack on the South Africa bowlers by switching gears, but George Linde drew curtains on his grit, dismissing him in the 11th over.
The left-handed opener remained the top-scorer for Pakistan with a brisk 37 off 28 deliveries, featuring four sixes and a four.
Ayub’s dismissal proved decisive as Pakistan lost their remaining six wickets for just 54 runs and were thus booked on a modest total despite Mohammad Nawaz’s grit at the backend.
The all-rounder offered significant resistance with a 20-ball 36, comprising four fours and two sixes, until eventually falling victim to Williams.
Bosch led the bowling charge for South Africa with a four-wicket haul, followed by Linde with three, while Williams bagged two.
Put into bat first, the Proteas accumulated 194/9 in their allotted 20 overs despite a strong start.
The Proteas got off to a flying start to their innings, with returning Quinton de Kock and Hendricks putting together 44 runs inside four overs.
Ayub eventually broke the opening stand on the penultimate delivery by getting rid of de Kock, giving Pakistan a much-needed breakthrough. The left-handed opener scored a 13-ball 23, laced with five fours.
Hendricks was then joined by debutant Tony de Zorzi in the middle, and the duo ensured maintaining South Africa’s momentum with a 49-run partnership for the second wicket, which culminated with the latter’s dismissal off Mohammad Nawaz in the eighth over.
The left-handed batter made a notable contribution to South Africa’s total on debut with a blistering 33 off just 16 deliveries, comprising five fours and a six.
Following his dismissal, the visitors lost two more wickets in quick succession as Dewald Brevis (nine) and Matthew Breetzke (one) fell victim to Nawaz and Ayub, respectively.
Hendricks was then involved in a brief 27-run partnership for the fifth wicket with captain Donovan Ferreira (10), followed by a 39-run stand, dominated by George Linde, until eventually being cleaned up by Abrar Ahmed in the 18th over.
The right-handed opener remained the top-scorer for South Africa with 60 off 40 deliveries, featuring five fours and a six.
Linde, on the other hand, followed suit in the next over, falling victim to Naseem Shah, after scoring a quickfire 22-ball 36, laced with four fours and a six.
Ace pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi further derailed South Africa’s march towards a big total by dismissing bowling all-rounder Corbin Bosch in the final over, in which he gave away just six runs.
Nawaz led Pakistan’s bowling charge with three wickets for just 26 runs in his four overs, followed by Ayub with two, while Abrar, Naseem and Shaheen chipped in with one apiece.
