CENTURION: Pakistan finished their tour of South Africa with a 27-run consolation win in the third and final Twenty20 international at SuperSport Park on Wednesday.

The tourists owed their win to the new-ball bowling of left-arm spinner Imad Wasim and left-arm fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi as they defended a moderate total of 168 for nine.

The pair restricted South Africa to 30 for two in the first seven overs and the hosts were always behind the required rate as they limped to 141 for nine in their 20 overs.

South Africa won the series against the world’s top-ranked Twenty20 international team 2-1, adding to a 3-0 success in a three-match Test series and a 3-2 win in a five-match one-day series.

Left-arm opening bowler Beuran Hendricks took a career-best four for 14 as Pakistan’s batsmen struggled after being sent in.

Seven Pakistan batsmen reached double figures, but the highest score was 26 by Mohammad Rizwan.

Pakistan made a breezy start, but were unable to put together any significant partnerships. Babar Azam again gave his team a good start, striking 23 off 11 balls.

A mid-innings collapse when three wickets fell for five runs in nine balls reduced Pakistan to 94 for five, with Rizwan, Malik and Hussain Talat falling in quick succession.

Shadab Khan hit three sixes in the final over from Andile Phehlukwayo to finish with 22 not out off eight balls.

South Africa never recovered from their slow start despite an innings of 41 by Rassie van der Dussen and an unbeaten 55 off 29 balls by Chris Morris.

Scoreboard

PAKISTAN:

Babar Azam c Malan b Morris 23

F. Zaman c Shamsi b B. Hendricks 17

M. Rizwan c Dala b Sipamla 26

Shoaib run out (Phehlukwayo) 18

H. Talat c Klaasen b Phehlukwayo 3

A. Ali c V. der Dussen b Morris 25

Imad Wasim b B. Hendricks 19

F. Ashraf c Miller b B. Hendricks 4

Shadab Khan not out 22

M. Amir c V.D. Dussen b B. Hendricks 0

Shaheen Shah Afridi not out 0

EXTRAS: (lb4, w7) 11

TOTAL: (9 wkts, 20 overs) 168

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-24, 2-47, 3-89, 4-92, 5-94, 6-129, 7-144, 8-145, 9-146

BOWLING: B. Hendricks 4-0-14-4, Dala 2-0-27-0 (1w), Morris 4-0-27-2, Sipamla 2-0-25-1 (1w), Phehlukwayo 4-0-41-1 (5w), Shamsi 4-0-30-0

SOUTH AFRICA:

R. Hendricks c and b S.S. Afridi 5

J. Malan b Imad Wasim 2

V.D Dussen c S. Malik b F. Ashraf 41

H. Klaasen c S. Malik b M. Amir 2

D. Miller c and b Shadab Khan1 3

A. Phehlukwayo lbw b Shadab 10

C. Morris not out 55

B. Hendricks b Mohammad Amir 3

J. Dala c sub (Hasan Ali) b Amir 5

L. Sipamla b Faheem Ashraf 0

T. Shamsi not out 0

EXTRAS: (w5) 5

TOTAL: (9 wkts, 20 overs) 141

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-5, 2-14, 3-30, 4-66, 5-72, 6-80, 7-107, 8-121, 9-129

BOWLING: Imad Wasim 4-0-19-1 (2w), Shaheen Shah Afridi 4-0-23-1, Mohammad Amir 4-0-27-3 (2w), Shadab Khan 4-0-34-2, Faheem Ashraf 4-0-38-2 (1w)

Published in Dawn, February 7th, 2019