Pakistan Comes Back To Bludgeon The Proteas In Lahore

A day before the second T20 international between South Africa and Pakistan, Quinton de Kock said, “We know Pakistan will come back harder after a loss. We’re mentally preparing for that.”

Pakistan coming back harder after a somewhat emphatic defeat in the series opener in Rawalpindi is certainly what they did. Whether South Africa was as mentally prepared for the onslaught as de Kock had alluded to, though, is up for debate. 

As in the first game, Pakistan won the toss and elected to bowl. South Africa made one change – Ottniel Baartman replacing Lizaad Williams, while Pakistan opted to drop Shaheen Shah Afridi for Salman Mirza. 

De Kock’s words were not even cold when the Proteas found themselves firmly on the back foot. 

Pakistan had the perfect start when Mirza clean bowled Reeza Hendricks with just the second ball of the innings. Quinton de Kock then mistimed and skied a Naseem Shah delivery with the score on 12, giving Pakistan two wickets in as many overs.

The carnage wasn’t over, though, as Tony De Zorzi was caught in two minds, mistiming a slow bouncer and holding out to Abrar at short fine leg. After 3 overs, South Africa found themselves reeling at 15/3. 

Salman Mirza continued his exploits – this time clean bowling Matthew Breetzke, squaring him up, with a peach of a cutter that snuck through the defenses.

The power play clearly belonged to Pakistan, restricting South Africa to just 31 runs and taking 4 wickets in the process.

Dewald Brevis – South Africa’s best batter on the night – hauled out to cover, once again mistiming his shot – an all too familiar sight in this innings – falling for 25 to Faheem Ashraf.

Ashraf claimed three more wickets – bowling both Donovan Ferreira and George Linde before getting the scalp of Ottniel Baartman to wrap up the innings, leaving Pakistan with a target of 111. 

With no partnerships to speak of and the regular fall of wickets, the Proteas were only able to post a sub-par total.

Brevis 25 – Ferreira 15

Ashraf 4/12 – Mirza 3/14

If South Africa were to mount an onslaught in response, it needed to get off to a start similar to, if not better than, the one Pakistan enjoyed. 

Pakistan is acquitting itself well, though. Except for an early rash shot attempted by Sahibzada Farhan, the openers adjusted to the chase without being aggressive. It was only a matter of time, though, before they took the aerial route, when Farhan picked a Lungi Ngidi slower ball to perfection and smashed him down the ground for the first six of their innings in the fourth over. 

Corbin Bosch was welcomed into the attack by Farhan by getting smoked over long-on for a flat six from a delivery that was perhaps a touch short from a good length. 

Saim Ayub had the type of luck that evaded the South Africans as his inside edge dribbled down to fine leg for two runs, off Baartman’s first delivery, ominously close to being chopped on. The next delivery saw a much more empathic stroke as Saim leathered the ball over the non-strikers’ head for four. The over and powerplay was closed off with a ferocious six by Farhan, taking the score to 49 without the loss of a wicket. 

In the 7th over, Saim played a wonderful shot off his hip that carried to Dewald Brevis, who unfortunately, could not hold onto the type of catch he usually gathers. Off the very next ball, though, Bosch trapped Farhan plumb with the score on 54. 

Strangely, the crowd erupted into a massive roar at his dismissal as they were eager to see their hero, Babar Azam, walk to the wicket. Babar duly obliged by playing an emphatic, sumptuous cover drive off the first ball he faced. A shot that cricket purists would rejoice at witnessing. 

The Proteas brought in Baartman for this game, but might have regretted that decision as Saim took a liking to him and clobbered him for 21 runs in the 9th over. His 34 runs off his two overs did not make for pretty reading. 

Saim Ayub brought about his 50 in the 10th over off 29 balls. A wonderfully constructed innings and well deserved. 

Pakistan increased the tempo in the 4 overs since the powerplay ended, scoring 43 runs at a run-rate of just over 10 an over – a signal of their intent. 

In the 12th over, with Donovan Ferreira bowling, Babar snuck a single after playing one down to long-off to overtake Rohit Sharma and become the highest scoring T20 international run scorer. 

In a fitting end to the game, Saim Ayub hit the winning runs by dispatching Ferreira for six to clinch an emphatic victory!!

Both teams will now get to reset as the series goes down to the final game – Pakistan, no doubt, carrying the momentum of this one-sided affair at the same venue on Saturday.

As life would have it, De Kock’s words came to life. Pakistan came back hard!!

Article by Riaz Hamed