CENTURION: In the fourth and final Twenty20 international Pakistan beat South Africa by three wickets with one ball to spare against South Africa at SuperSport Park in Centurion on Friday.
Pakistan won the toss and decided to bowl first. It clinched a 3-1 series win for the tourists. Pakistan appeared to be cruising when they reached 92 for one in the 10th over after bowling out South Africa for 144 on what is usually a high-scoring ground.
Pakistan win the fourth #SAvPAK T20I by 3 wickets and the series 3-1
Scorecard: https://t.co/Kzs35ZkqSH
#HarHaalMainCricket #BackTheBoysInGreen pic.twitter.com/KufqErjnR6
— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) April 16, 2021
PCB congratulates Pakistan men's team on successful South Africa tour
More: https://t.co/1EPtkMHZTR#SAvPAK | #HarHaalMainCricket | #BackTheBoysInGreen
— PCB Media (@TheRealPCBMedia) April 16, 2021
But six wickets fell for 27 runs after Fakhar Zaman was out for a hard-hit 60 off 34 balls before Mohammad Nawaz sealed the win with a six off the penultimate ball. Pakistan’s 3-1 series win completed a clean sweep of four successful series against South Africa during the season.
FIFTY! Fakhar Zaman brings up his 5th T20I half-century off just 27 balls! ????#SAvPAK | #HarHaalMainCricket | #BackTheBoysInGreen pic.twitter.com/FxYOLvYCei
— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) April 16, 2021
They won the Test and T20 series in Pakistan and a one-day and T20 series in South Africa.
Brief scores South Africa: 144 in 19.3 overs (H. van der Dussen 52, J. Malan 33; Faheem Ashraf 3-17) Pakistan: 149-7 in 19.5 overs (Fakhar Zaman 60; S. Magala 2-33).
Earlier, Pakistan’s medium-pace bowler Faheem Ashraf sparked a South African collapse.
Ashraf took three for 17 as South Africa, who were put in to bat after losing the toss, were bowled out for 144 on what is usually a high-scoring ground.
South Africa had reached 73 for one after the early loss of Aiden Markram when Ashraf had Janneman Malan caught at mid-off for 33 in the ninth over.
Ashraf followed up with the wickets of South African captain Heinrich Klaasen and George Linde. He bowled his four overs in succession and did not concede a boundary.
Fast bowlers Hasan Ali and Haris Rauf took three for 40 and two for 18 respectively.
Rassie van der Dussen top-scored for South Africa with 52 off 36 balls. Pakistan chased down a target of 204 with nine wickets and two overs to spare on the same ground two days earlier.
Captain Babar Azam, who scored 122 in that run chase, named an unchanged side while South Africa made two changes. All-rounder Wiaan Mulder and left-arm spinner Bjorn Fortuin came into the side, replacing batsman Pite van Biljon and left-arm fast bowler Beuran Hendricks.
Teams:
South Africa: Heinrich Klaasen (captain, wkt), Aiden Markram, Janneman Malan, Rassie van der Dussen, George Linde, Andile Phehlukwayo, Wiaan Mulder, Sisanda Magala, Bjorn Fortuin, Lizaad Williams, Tabraiz Shamsi
Pakistan: Babar Azam (captain), Mohammad Rizwan (wkt), Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Hafeez, Haider Ali, Asif Ali, Faheem Ashraf, Mohammad Nawaz, Hasan Ali, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf
Umpires: Shaun George, Adrian Holdstock (both RSA); Television umpire: Allahudien Paleker (RSA); Match referee: Andy Pycroft (ZIM)
