LAHORE: Pakistan on Thursday beat South Africa by three runs at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium in the first Twenty20 International, as Mohammad Rizwan hit a magnificent ton to put up a good score for the Men In Green.
Mohammad Rizwan became the first-ever Pakistani wicket-keeper to score a century in T20Is.
According to details, Rizwan is also the second wicket-keeper batsman in the world to score a 100 in all three formats of international cricket.
Match Summary!
Pakistan win by three runs.Scorecard: https://t.co/I8APgc6AwX#PAKvSA | #HarHaalMainCricket | #BackTheBoysInGreen https://t.co/VLVxBF0u6U pic.twitter.com/PZx4fSnCAn
— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) February 11, 2021
The 28-year old cricketer scored an unbeaten 104 off 64 deliveries in Lahore against South Africa. His innings included 7 sixes, which is the highest by a Pakistani batsman in T20Is. Haris Rauf’s over proved to be the most expensive for the hosts as the Proteas scored 18 runs off the six balls.
First T20I centurion at the GSL!
Ladies and gentlemen, Mohammad Rizwan! ????Watch #PAKvSA Live: https://t.co/dtfdkESNTz#HarHaalMainCricket | #BackTheBoysInGreen pic.twitter.com/oSY5I5s00n
— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) February 11, 2021
Leg-spinner Usman Qadir took the first wicket for Pakistan as he bowled out Janneman Malan in the seventh over. He took Jacques Snyman’s wicket too in the ninth over with a brilliantly bowled googly. Faheem Ashraf took the third wicket for Pakistan when David Miller was caught out by wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan.
South Africa won the toss and elected to field first against the hosts. Pakistan suffered an early loss when their talisman Babar Azam was run out by Bjorn Fortuin on the second ball of the match for a duck.
The hosts struggled to find their footing, losing Haider Ali at the start of the sixth over when he was caught out by Jacques Snyman off Andile Phehlukwayo’s ball. Haider was replaced by Hussain Talat at the pitch who tried to swiftly pick up runs, hitting two consecutive fours and scoring 15 runs off nine balls.
He lost his wicket in the 10th over, leaving Pakistan struggling to build momentum. Mohammad Rizwan brought much-needed stability for the hosts, hitting three sixes in one over to complete his half-century, his second in T20Is.
The second and third T20 matches of the series will be staged on Saturday and Sunday, also at Gaddafi Stadium.
Teams
Pakistan: Babar Azam (capt), Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Haider Ali, Hussain Talat, Iftikhar Ahmed, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Usman Qadir, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf
South Africa: Janneman Malan, Reeza Hendricks, Jacques Snyman, Heinrich Klaasen (capt & wk), David Miller, Dwaine Pretorius, Andile Phehlukwayo, Bjorn Fortuin, Junior Dala, Lutho Sipamla, Tabraiz Shamsi.
