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Pakistan Vs South Africa 3rd T20: Pakistan beat S Africa by four wickets, clinch series 2-1

Dunya News

Pakistan captain Babar Azam had won the toss and put South Africa in to bat

LAHORE (Dunya News) – Pakistan beat South Africa by four wickets in the third and final Twenty20 international and claim the series 2-1 at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.

Pakistan has also become the first T20 team to register 100th victory. Hasan finished with a seven-ball 20 not out as Pakistan overhauled a 165-run target in 18.4 overs to win the series 2-1, South Africa s first T20I series defeat in Asia.

Chasing a target of 165 to win, Pakistan romped home in 18.4 overs after David Miller had blasted an unbeaten 85 off 45 balls to lift South Africa to 164-8 in 20 overs. 

Pakistan won the first match by three runs while South Africa took the second match by six wickets, both also played in Lahore.

Squad

  

South Africa s late blip meant David Miller s robust 85 not out and spinner Tabraiz Shamsi s four wickets, which seemed to have put the tourists on the road to victory, were in vain.

Miller smashed seven sixes and five fours off just 45 balls to lift South Africa from a tottering 48-6. He helped add 116 for the last four wickets, taking South Africa to 164-8.

Shamsi then picked up 4-25 in four incisive overs and Pakistan needed 53 off the last six overs and 28 off the last three.

With 16 needed off the final two overs, Andile Phehlukwayo bowled a waist-high no-ball which Hasan hit for six to ease the pressure. He then hit a four and a six to seal victory.

Mohammad Nawaz finished with 18 not out, while skipper Babar Azam scored 44 and in-form Mohammad Rizwan made 42.

Pakistan, who opened with Haider Ali instead of Azam, raced to 51 off 6.1 overs before Shamsi dismissed Haider (15), removed Rizwan leg-before and bowled Hussain Talat for five to halt the home team s progress.

Rizwan, who hit 104 not out and 51 in the first two matches, struck seven boundaries, including two towering sixes, off 30 balls.

Pakistan won the first match by three runs while South Africa took the second by six wickets, both also played in Lahore.

South Africa lost their first six wickets for 48 and their seventh at 64.

Nawaz dismissed Reeza Hendricks (two) and Jon-Jon Smuts (one). Then debutant Zahid Mahmood removed Heinrich Klaasen (nought) and Janneman Malan (27) off succesive deliveries in his first over.

When Phehlukwayo went for a duck, South Africa had lost four wickets for seven runs in just nine balls.

Miller added 17 for the eighth wicket with Bjorn Fortuin (10) before adding a further 58 for the next in just five overs with Lutho Sipamla who scored eight not out.

Miller hit four sixes in the last over bowled by Faheem Ashraf, which yielded 25.

Leg-spinner Mahmood took 3-40, left-arm spinner Nawaz took 2-13 and paceman Hasan finished with 2-29.

Earlier, Pakistan made three changes after South Africa won the second game by six wickets on Saturday to level the series 1-1. Middle-order batsmen Khushdil Shah and Iftikhar Ahmed along with fast bowler Haris Rauf were dropped after below par performances in the first two games.

They were replaced by 32-year-old legspinner Zahid Mahmood, who will be playing his first Twenty20 international, fast bowler Hasan Ali and hard-hitting batsman Asif Ali.

Hasan made a stunning return to international cricket after two years out with injuries when he took 12 wickets in the preceding test series against the Proteas that Pakistan won 2-0.

The 29-year-old Asif played the last of his 25 Twenty20 internationals against Australia at Canberra in late 2019 and has been recalled to beef up Pakistans scoring rate in the middle overs.

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