Pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi led an inspired attack and Pakistan put up a splendid bowling show to restrict South Africa to 139-9 in the series-deciding third Twenty20 International at the Gaddafi Stadium on Saturday.
Having beaten South Africa for a paltry 110 in the second game of the series on Friday, Pakistan were at it again, picking up wickets at regular intervals to keep the visitors in check with Shaheen, who was rested a day earlier, leading the way.
Shaheen finished with 3-26, while debutant Usman Tariq and teammate Faheem Ashraf picked two wickets each. Pakistan’s batsmen will look to finish the job and give their team a much-needed series win to boost confidence ahead of next year’s World Cup.
Shaheen made Pakistan a two-wicket shuttler midway through the first over and almost bagged a third victim two balls later.
Opener Quinton de Kock’s stumps came apart on the second ball of the innings with a delivery that deflected back, found an edge and hit the woodwork. On the next ball, Lhuan-dre Pretorious then took a catch to Usman Tariq at short fine leg.
Pakistan were in dreamland when the umpire judged Dewald Brevis lbw on the first ball of a spectacular opening only for the decision review system to show the ball was going to rise above the stumps.
South Africa were reeling and their first boundary only came on the penultimate ball of the third over when opener Reeza Hendricks pushed Shaheen towards the extra cover fence.
Things otherwise remained steady thanks to Shaheen’s new ball partner Salman Mirza after a brilliant performance on Friday that didn’t reveal much.
Faheem Ashraf, player of the match on Friday, gave up just two runs in the fifth over and Salman bowled a tidy sixth as South Africa moved to 22-2 at the end of the powerplay.
Brevis, however, broke the shackles with two sixes from spinner Mohammad Nazwaz in the seventh over, the first straight to the ground and the second to deep mid-wicket.
Brevis (21), however, departed soon after and Usman took his first T20I wicket with the second ball of his career; the South African batsman found Babar Azam at long-on as he tried to make it big once again.
Incoming starter Matthew Breetzke did not last long, seeing his stumps smashed by Nawaz with a ball he straightened after bowling in the next over as South Africa fell from 38-2 to 42-4.
Captain Donovan Ferreira provided further impetus with a six from Usman as South Africa reached 56-4 midway through their innings, then upped the ante with two sixes and a four in the 11th over bowled by Nawaz.
But Ferreira’s run of big hits did not last long as, after scoring 29 for 13, he holed out his counterpart Salman Ali Agha midway through Faheem’s next over.
South Africa were six down on the next ball and George Linde found Hasan Nawaz at midfield with Pakistan firmly on top.
Hendricks’ long and patient stay at the crease ended in the 15th over when Usman edged Hasan to deep square and back to go for 34 off 36 with two fours.
Incoming Andile Simelane then lifted Shaheen for the fourth six of the but he soon departed after making 13 when Salman Mirza trapped him at mid-wicket in the 18th over.
Shaheen got his third wicket when he returned Lizaad Williams in the penultimate over, but Corbin Bosch (30 not out) ensured South Africa reached a respectable total.
