Pakistan claimed a scintillating three-wicket victory over the Proteas at SuperSport Park in Centurion on Friday.
After losing their first wicket in just the third over, Pakistan laid a solid foundation in the form of an Imam-ul-Haq and Babar Azam partnership, both of whom built up an impressive stand of 177.
The pair’s exploits lasted 29.1 overs until Azam nicked an out-swing delivery from Anrich Nortje to get dismissed for 103 on the very next ball after kissing the pitch and celebrating his 13th century.
The job was still to be done for Pakistan, with the side having needed 88 runs in the remaining 19 overs for the victory.
They suffered a worrying stutter over the next several overs, starting with Imam-ul-Haq’s dismissal when he mistimed a pull shot to be caught at mid-on for 70 in the 34th over.
Nortje was responsible for taking out the seemingly unbreakable partnership and the 27-year-old struck twice more in the ensuing overs when Danish Aziz (3) and Asif Ali (2) were each caught out from his pressing deliveries.
Pakistan managed to downplay their mid-innings scare slightly when Mohammad Rizwan and Shadab Khan put up a decent 53-run partnership, before the former top-edged Andile Phehlukwayo’s swing delivery to get caught out for 40.
Drama struck in the 49th over when Khan was dropped, before hitting a no-ball on to his wickets, after which the South Africans celebrated. But the Pakistani stood his ground as the referral confirmed it to not be a legitimate delivery.
Khan then punished Lungi Ngidi’s following ‘free hit’ delivery for four as the visitors needed just three off the final over to win.
Khan, however, didn’t last much longer, having got caught for 33 on the first ball of the final over. Pakistan sweated in the last over as they eventually needed one run off the last ball to win.
Faheem Ashraf then managed to square-cut a wide ball in the gap from Phehlukwayo as Pakistan claimed a thrilling win.
Nortje finished with figures of 4/51 at a rate of 5.10 and Phehlukwayo claimed 2/56. Rassie van der Dussen’s unbeaten knock of 123 didn’t go in vain as it resurrected SA’s innings to an almost winning score. It was so close, yet just too far for the Proteas.
