South Africa beat Pakistan in first T20I match

South Africa defeated Pakistan by 55 runs in the first T20I to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
In the match played at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, the national team was all out for 139 runs in 18.1 overs while chasing 195 runs.

Saim Ayub 37 and Babar Azam, 36, were the standout batsmen for Pakistan. Captain Salman Ali Agha could only score 2 runs, Usman Khan 12, and Hasan Ali was out for 3 runs.
South Africa’s bowlers showed a brilliant performance. Corbin Bush took 4 wickets, George Linde took 3 and Lizad Williams took 2 wickets.
Earlier, the visiting team, batting first, scored 194 runs for the loss of 9 wickets in the allotted 20 overs. Reeza Hendricks 60, George, 36, and Tony de Zorzi were the standouts with 33 runs. Quinton de Kock fell victim to Saim Ayub for 23.
For Pakistan, Mohammad Nawaz took 3, Saim Ayub took 2, while Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, and Abrar Ahmed took one wicket each.
With this victory, South Africa also broke the record for the highest total by any team in Rawalpindi. Earlier, New Zealand scored 194 runs for the loss of 4 wickets in April 2023.
The two teams have faced each other 24 times before, and both teams have won 12 matches each. That is, according to previous results, no team is heavier than the other in this format.
The Proteas are playing a T20 series in Pakistan after 2021. Both teams have practiced extensively for the series.
Pakistan’s star batsman Babar Azam is making a comeback to the T20 format after 10 months through this series. An important record awaits the former captain and Pakistan. He will become the all-time number one batsman in T20 cricket by scoring just 9 runs.

Read also: Shaheen Afridi appointed as Pakistan’s new ODI captain