LAHORE: Devastating bowling by paceman Dwaine Pretorius, who claimed career-best 5-17, followed by superb batting from Reeza Hendricks and Pite van Biljon inspired South Africa to a crushing six-wicket win over Pakistan at the Gaddafi Stadium here on Saturday and level the three-match T20 series 1-1.

It was South Africa’s first victory of the ongoing tour after losing the two-Test series and the first T20I by a close margin of three runs on Thursday.

Chasing a rather easy target after restricting the home side to just 144-7, the visitors raced to victory in just 16.2 overs for the loss of four wickets. Hendricks (42) and van Biljon (42) contributed an exhilarating 77-run in their third-wicket stand.

Upfront Shaheen Shah Afridi jolted the South Africans by taking two wickets in his first two overs, clean bowling Janneman Malan (4) and then sending back J.J. Smuts, caught by Babar Azam for eight with the total at 21.

Hendrikcs bludgeoned leg-spinner Usman Qadir for a six while Biljon sent the same bowler over the ropes in the same over as South Africans accelerated the run-rate.

Usman was hit for another six by Hendricks in his second over. Though in the same over Usman succeeded in getting Biljon stumped out but TV umpire called it a no ball and allowed a free hit. South Africa raced to 92-2 in 10 overs but then both Hendricks and Biljon fell. Hendricks mistimed a drive and was caught by Iftikhar Ahmed. His knock was studded with three sixes and as many fours off 30 balls. Then Nawaz struck as he caught and bowled Biljon after the batsman had smashed two sixes and three fours while facing 32 balls. David Miller with captain Klassen then collected 47 in their unbroken fifth-wicket stand to overhaul the target. Miller remained unbeaten on a 19-ball 25 with two fours and one six. Klassen made 17 off nine balls with three fours.

Earlier in the evening, Klaasen won the toss and again decided to bowl first. The decision proved correct as Pakistan batsmen struggled throughout and could only reach a modest total. Man-of-the-match Pretorius was the wrecker-in-chief with five for 17.

Pakistan slumped to 2-36 after losing captain Babar Azam for five and Haider Ali for 10. Haider was brilliantly caught by Andile Phehlu­kwayo off Lutho Sipamla in the deep. More trouble was in store as Hussain Talat (3) tried to play a reverse sweep off Tabraiz Shamsi only to be caught by Biljon.

The only man to take the fight to the South African bowlers was once again in-form Mohammad Rizwan — the centurion on Thursday — scored a dazzling half century (51) under pressure. Later in the innings, all-rounder Faheem Ashraf collected a brisk 30 off 12 balls with two sixes and as many fours. Rizwan completed his 50 off 39 balls with six fours and one six to become the first Pakistani to score back-to-back 50s in T20Is.

Pretorius then struck twice, sending back Iftikhar (20 off 21 balls, two fours) and then took the prize wicket of Rizwan who was caught by Phehlukwayo. Pretorius also accounted for Khushdil Shah (15) and Mohammad Nawaz (0).

The third and final match is on Sunday.

Scoreboard

PAKISTAN:

M. Rizwan c Phehlukwayo b Pretorius51 Babar Azam lbw b Pretorius5

Haider Ali c Sipamla b Phehlukwayo10

Hussain Talat c van Biljon b Sipamla3

Iftikhar Ahmed c Miller b Pretorius20

Khushdil Shah c Klaasen b Pretorius15

Faheem Ashraf not out30

Mohammad Nawaz b Pretorius0

Usman Qadir not out4

EXTRAS (LB-3, W-3)6

TOTAL (for seven wkts, 20 overs)144

FALL OF WKTS: 1-10, 2-36, 3-48, 4-93, 5-97, 6-126, 7-126

DID NOT BAT: Usman Qadir, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf.

BOWLING: Smuts 4-0-20-0; Pretorius 4-0-17-5; Stuurman 2-0-28-0 (2w); Sipamla 3-0-29-0; Phehlukwayo 3-0-31-1; Shamsi 4-0-16-1 (1w).

SOUTH AFRICA:

J.N. Malan b Shaheen4

R.R. Hendricks c Iftikhar b Usman42

J.J. Smuts c Babar b Shaheen7

P.J. van Biljon c and b Nawa42

D.A. Miller not out25

H. Klaasen not out17

EXTRAS (W-7, NB-1)8

TOTAL (for four wkts, 16.2 overs)145

FALL OF WKTS: 1-4, 2-21, 3-98, 4-105.

DID NOT BAT: A.L. Phehlukwayo, D. Pretorius, G.A. Stuurman, L. Sipamla, T. Shamsi.

BOWLING: Shaheen Shah Afridi 3-0-18-2 (1nb); Haris Rauf 2-0-26-0 (1w); Mohammad Nawaz 4-0-27-1; Faheem Ashraf 2-0-17-0; Usman Qadir 4-0-43-1 (1nb, 1w); Iftikhar Ahmed 1.2-0-14-0

RESULT: South Africa won by six wickets to level three-match series at 1-1.

UMPIRES: Asif Yaqoob (Pakistan) and Shozab Raza (Pakistan).

TV UMPIRE: Ahsan Raza (Pakistan).

MATCH REFEREE: Mohammad Javed Malik (Pakistan).

MAN-OF-THE-MATCH: Dwaine Pretorius.

FIRST MATCH: Lahore, Pakistan won by three runs.

THIRD MATCH: Lahore, Sunday (6:00pm PST).

Published in Dawn, February 14th, 2021