- Faheem Ashraf grabs 4 essential wickets.
- Saim Ayub smashes unbeaten 71-run knock.
- Hosts stage sequence with commanding win.
LAHORE: Pacers and opening batter Saim Ayub led the cost as Pakistan defeated South Africa by 9 wickets within the must-win second T20I recreation on the Gaddafi Stadium on Friday.
Chasing a modest 111-run goal, the house aspect comfortably knocked the successful runs for the lack of only one wicket and 41 balls to spare.
Pakistan received off to a flamboyant begin to the pursuit, with their opening pair of Saim and Sahibzada Farhan placing collectively a brisk 54-run partnership.
The opening stand was finally damaged by Corbin Bosch within the seventh over when he trapped Farhan lbw with an in-dipper. The fitting-handed opener scored 28 off 23 deliveries with the assistance of three sixes.
Ayub was then joined by star batter Babar Azam within the center, and the duo ensured Pakistan sailed over the road with out additional setbacks as they registered a match-winning 64-run partnership.
The second-wicket partnership was largely dominated by Ayub, who remained the top-scorer with an unbeaten 71 off simply 38 deliveries, smashing six fours and 5 sixes, whereas Babar made 11 not out from 18 balls.
For South Africa, Bosch was the solitary wicket-taker.
Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha’s choice to area first bore fruit as his crew’s bowling unit booked South Africa for a meagre 110 in 19.2 overs.
Teen Salman Mirza gave Pakistan a dominant begin with the ball, by cleansing up Reeza Hendricks (zero) on simply the second supply of the fixture.
The Proteas then misplaced two extra wickets in successive overs, bowled by Naseem Shah and Salman, respectively, and thus had been diminished to fifteen/3.
Bowling his third over on trot, Salman, who had earlier dropped Matthew Breetzke (5) off Naseem, repented his mistake by bowling the right-handed batter with a leg-cutter.
With South Africa reeling at 23/4 in 4.4 overs, Dewald Brevis tried to launch a counterattack by going after the Pakistan pacers, however Faheem Ashraf drew curtains on his blistering cameo within the eighth over with a short-pitched supply.
Brevis remained the top-scorer for the guests with a 16-ball 25, that includes three sixes.
The all-rounder then dismissed South Africa captain Donovan Ferreira (15) and George Linde in his subsequent two overs, respectively, to strengthen Pakistan’s command.
Naseem added to South Africa’s woes within the 14th over by dismissing their all-rounder Corbin Bosch (11), caught behind.
Following the stoop, lower-order batters Ottneil Baartman and Nandre Burger (9) added helpful runs on the backend, placing collectively 19 runs for the ninth wicket till the latter was dismissed by Abrar Ahmed within the penultimate over.
Faheem was the main wicket-taker for Pakistan, dismissing 4 South African batters for simply 23 runs in 3.2 overs, adopted by Salman Mirza, who gave away simply 14 runs in his 4 to choose up three wickets. Naseem Shah lent ample help with two scalps, whereas Abrar chipped in with one.
