Cape Town: Faf du Plessis (78, 45b, 6×4, 4×6) and Reeza Hendricks (74, 41b, 8×4, 2×6) shared a record partnership as South Africa defeated Pakistan by six runs to end their nine-match winning streak win the first T20I here at Newlands, Friday.
Batting first, South Africa rode on Du Plessis and Hendricks’ knocks to post a mammoth 192/6 in 20 overs. In reply, Pakistan finished at 186/9 to lose the match closely.
In the end, it was the fielding of David Miller that made the difference. His two direct-hit run-outs, including the key wicket of Babar Azam (38), and a South African record four catches, meant that Pakistan kept losing wickets as they chased a challenging target.
Pakistan made a fast start despite losing Fakhar Zaman (four) in the first over. Babar and Hussain Talat (40) put on 81 runs for the second wicket. At one stage they were scoring at close to 10 runs an over but the scoring slowed against tight bowling by medium-pacer Andile Phehlukwayo (1/27) and left-arm spinner Tabraiz Shamsi (2/33).
The match turned in South Africa’s favour when Talat was caught off Shamsi, to be followed in the next over by Babar’s run out, after a superb piece of fielding by Miller. Malik kept Pakistan in the game before he was dismissed off the third ball of the final over.
Earlier, Du Plessis shared a record second wicket stand of 131 runs off 74 balls with Hendricks. It was also the highest total in a T20I at Newlands.
Brief scores: South Africa 192/6 (Faf du Plessis 78, Reeza Hendricks 74; Usman Shinwari 3/31) bt Pakistan 186/9 (Shoaib Malik 49, Hussain Talat 40; Tabraiz Shamsi 2/33) by six runs.
