CENTURION: Opener Reeza Hendricks smashed 117 runs from 63 balls to guide South Africa to a seven-wicket victory over Pakistan in the second Twenty20 International at Centurion Park on Friday. South Africa claimed the three-match series 2-0 with a game to spare.

Pakistan elected to bat first and, boosted by an unbeaten 98 from 57 balls by opener Saim Ayub, posted 206 for five in their 20 overs. But on a good batting wicket, South Africa overcame a sluggish start to reach their target with three balls to spare as the brilliant Hendricks scored a maiden T20 international century which included 10 sixes.

He put on 157 in a partnership with Rassie van der Dussen, who was unbeaten on 66 from 38 balls as the latter guided the hosts over the line.

It is a record for the third wicket for South Africa, while Hendricks reached 50 for the 18th time in T20 internationals, the most for South Africa and one more than Quinton de Kock.

The third and final match of the series will be played in Johannesburg on Saturday, before the teams play three one-day internationals and two tests in an all-format tour.

SCORBOARD

PAKISTAN:

Muhammad Rizwan c van der Dussen b Baartman 11

Saim Ayub not out 98

Babar Azam c Ferreira b Linde 31

Usman Khan c Maphaka b Galiem 3

Tayyab Tahir c & b Galiem 6

Irfan Khan c van der Dussen b Baartman 30

Abbas Afridi not out 11

EXTRAS (NB-1, W-15) 16

TOTAL (for five wickets, 20 overs) 206

DID NOT BAT: Shaheen Shah Afridi, Jahandad Khan, Haris Rauf, Abrar Ahmed

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-16 (Rizwan), 2-103 (Babar), 3-114 (Usman), 4-122 (Tayyab), 5-195 (Irfan)

BOWLING: Galiem 4-0-2-2 (3w), Maphaka 3-0-41-0 (2w, 1nb), Ferreira 3-0-37-0 (3w), Baartman 4-0-51-2 (5w), Peter 2-0-28-0, Linde 4-0-28-1

SOUTH AFRICA:

R. Hendricks c Irfan b Abbas 117

R. Rickelton c Rizwan b Jahandad 2

M. Breetzke c Shaheen b Jahandad 12

R. van der Dussen not out 66

H. Klaasen not out 8

EXTRAS (LB-1, NB-1, W-3) 5

TOTAL (for three wickets, 19.3 overs) 210

DID NOT BAT: D. Ferreira, G. Linde, D. Galiem,

N. Peter, K. Maphaka, O. Baartman

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-6 (Rickelton), 2-28 (Breetzke), 3-185 (Hendricks)

BOWLING: Shaheen 4-0-37-0 (1w, 1nb), Jahandad 4-0-40-2, Haris 4-0-57-0, Abbas 3.3-0-46-1 (1w), Abrar 4-0-29-0 (1w)

RESULT: South Africa won by seven wickets.

SERIES: South Africa lead three-match series 2-0.

Published in Dawn, December 14th, 2024