South Africa beats Pakistan in 2nd T20

Fast bowler Dwaine Pretorius took a record 5-17 in South Africa’s six-wicket victory over Pakistan in their second Twenty20 international on Saturday.

Pretorius’ figures were the best by a South African bowler in a T20 international and helped to restrict Pakistan to 144-7 after Heinrich Klaasen again won the toss.

A 77-run partnership for the third wicket off 53 balls between Reeza Hendricks (42) and Pite van Biljon (42) scripted Proteas’ clinical run-chase as the visitors reached 145-4 in 16.2 overs and ended their five-match losing streak.

The third and final game is at Lahore on Sunday.

“We had good plans that we executed quite well,” Pretorius said. “I was just trying to mix up my line and length to make sure guys couldn’t line me up.”

Pakistan captain Babar Azam (5) saw a wretched run in the T20 series continue when Pretorius had him trapped leg before wicket off his second ball.

Babar, who was run out without scoring in Pakistan’s three-run win in the first T20, played across the line to a delivery which came into the batsman.

Spinners Tabraiz Shamsi (1-16) and Jon-Jon Smuts (0-20) restrained Pakistan in the middle overs with wrist spinner Shami not conceding a single boundary off his four overs.

“We couldn’t score enough runs in the middle overs and couldn’t get the partnerships going,” Babar



said. “It was a similar wicket as the first match, but we made some mistakes with the ball that cost us.”

Pakistan’s middle order struggled against both spinners and only Mohammad Rizwan, who scored his first T20I ton on Thursday, again showed promise with a 41-ball 51.

Iftikhar Ahmed (20) and Rizwan tried to force the run rate but both holed out in the deep in Pretorius’ return spell.

The right-arm pacer had Khushdil Shah (15) caught behind in his last over before clean bowling Mohammad Nawaz for a duck off a brilliant yorker to better Ryan McLaren’s previous South Africa record of 5-19 against the West Indies in 2010 at Antigua.

Faheem Ashraf hit an undefeated 12-ball 30, which featured two fours and two sixes.

Shaheen Afridi (2-18) provided Pakistan with two early breakthroughs but both Hendricks and van Biljon dominated with bowlers finding it difficult to grip a wet ball.

Legspinner Usman Qadir was smashed for two fours and three sixes off his four overs to finish with 1-43.

Hendricks hit three fours and three sixes before he holed out at long off in Qadir’s last over.

Van Biljon, one of three changes South Africa made from the first game, followed in the next over when leftarm spinner Nawaz found the leading edge.

David Miller (25 not out) and Klaasen (17 not out) finished the game with 22 balls to spare.