Massive target by Pakistan dents South Africa’s chances in 2nd T20

CENTURION: Pakistan put up an impressive batting performance in the 2nd T20 of the three-match series on Friday, setting a challenging target of 207 runs for South Africa to chase.

After winning the toss, Pakistani captain Mohammad Rizwan opted to bat first. However, the team faced an early setback with Rizwan departing for just 11 runs. Following him, Usman Khan (3) and Tayyab Tahir (6) were dismissed cheaply, leaving Pakistan in a precarious position. 

Despite the shaky start, young opener Saim Ayub stood out with a remarkable knock of 98 runs, missing his maiden T20 international century by just two runs. He was supported by Babar Azam (31), Irfan Khan (30), and Abbas Afridi (11), as Pakistan finished their innings at 206/5 in the allotted 20 overs. 

Pakistan made one change to their playing XI for the 2nd T20 against South Africa, bringing in Jahandad Khan in place of Sufiyan Muqeem. The squad, led by Mohammad Rizwan, also includes Saim Ayub, Babar Azam, Usman Khan, Tayyab Tahir, Irfan Khan, Abbas Afridi, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf, Jahandad Khan, and Abrar Ahmed. 

South Africa leads the series 1-0 after defeating Pakistan by 11 runs in the first T20. David Miller’s fantastic innings, scored 82 off 40 balls, played crucial role in South Africa’s victory. However, the hero who secured victory for the Proteas was all-rounder George Linde, with impressive figures of 4-21 in bowling and a crucial 48 runs in batting.

The three-match T20 series is part of Pakistan’s ongoing tour of South Africa, which includes three ODIs and two Tests. 

The third and final T20 will be played on December 14, followed by the first ODI in Paarl on December 17. The Test series will commence on December 26 in Centurion, with the second Test scheduled for January 3 in Cape Town.

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