DURBAN: South Africa secured a nail-biting 11-run victory over Pakistan in the first T20 International of the three-match series at Kingsmead Stadium on Tuesday.
Powered by David Miller’s explosive 82 and George Linde’s all-round brilliance, the hosts took an early lead in the series.
After winning the toss, South Africa elected to bat and posted a formidable 183/9 in their 20 overs. The Proteas faced an early scare as Pakistan’s bowlers struck in quick succession.
Abrar Ahmed and Shaheen Afridi wreaked havoc in the powerplay, reducing South Africa to 3/15 within the first four overs. Reeza Hendricks (8), Rassie van der Dussen (0), and Matthew Breetzke (8) fell cheaply, leaving the hosts reeling.
David Miller then played a rescue act, smashing a stunning 82 off 40 balls, including six towering sixes. His partnership with George Linde (48 off 32) steadied the innings, adding vital runs to push South Africa to a competitive total.
For Pakistan, Abrar Ahmed and Shaheen Afridi claimed three wickets each, while Abbas Afridi picked up two.
In response, Pakistan’s chase was anchored by Mohammad Rizwan, who played a heroic knock of 74 off 62 balls.
Rizwan displayed exceptional grit, hitting timely boundaries to keep Pakistan’s hopes alive. However, he found little support from the rest of the batting lineup.
South Africa’s bowlers, led by George Linde, were relentless, taking wickets at regular intervals.
Linde delivered a match-winning performance with the ball, claiming 4/21 in his four overs. His precise line and length proved too much for Pakistan’s batters to handle, as they managed only 172/8 in their 20 overs.
The closing overs saw tension reach its peak, with Rizwan attempting to accelerate the scoring. Despite his best efforts, South Africa’s bowlers held their nerve to secure a thrilling victory.
Speaking after the match, Rizwan lauded his team’s fighting spirit but acknowledged the need for better partnerships in the middle order. “We need to learn from this and come back stronger in the next game,” he said.
South Africa’s David Miller credited his team’s all-round effort for the win. “It was a complete team performance. Everyone stepped up when it mattered,” he remarked.
Pakistan Playing XI
Mohammad Rizwan (c), Babar Azam, Saim Ayub, Usman Khan, Tayyab Tahir, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Abbas Afridi, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf, Sufiyan Muqeem and Abrar Ahmed.
South Africa Playing XI
Rassie van der Dussen, Reeza Hendricks, Mathew Breetzke, David Miller, Heinrich Klaasen (c & wk), Donovan Ferreira, George Linde, Andile Simelane, Nqaba Peter, Kwena Maphaka, Ottneil Baartman.
