South Africa inflicted a 55-run defeat on Pakistan in the first game of the T20I series

• Reeza Hendricks hits a fluent 60 to anchor the Proteas innings.
• Bosch claims four wickets to dismantle Pakistan’s chase.
• Mohammad Nawaz shines with 3 wickets, 36 off 20 balls.

Reeza Hendricks’ half-century and Corbin Bosch’s four gave South Africa a 55-run win over Pakistan in the first match of the T20I series at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Tuesday.

Chasing a daunting target of 195 runs, the home batting unit could manage 139 before being bowled out in 18.1 overs.

Pakistan started the chase cautiously, with Sahibzada Farhan and Saim Ayub putting on 31 runs before the former, who dominated the opening stand, was cleaned up by Lizaad Williams in the fifth over after scoring 24 off 19 with the help of four fours.

The Green Jerseys then suffered another huge blow as returning star Babar Azam fell for a two-ball duck to Corbin Bosch, who struck again in his next over to remove Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha (two), reducing the total to 43/3 in 7.2 overs.

After the back-to-back failures, Ayub tried to launch a counter-attack on the South African bowlers by switching gears, but George Linde drew curtains on his crack, dismissing him in the 11th over.

The left-handed opener remained the top scorer for Pakistan with a brisk 37 off 28 deliveries, with four sixes and a four.

Ayub’s dismissal proved decisive as Pakistan lost their remaining six wickets for just 54 runs to post a modest total despite Mohammad Nawaz’s grimace at the back.

The all-rounder put up considerable resistance with a 20-ball 36, consisting of four fours and two sixes, until he eventually fell victim to Williams.

Bosch led the bowling for South Africa with fours, followed by Linde with three, while Williams hit two.

Batting first, the Proteas amassed 194/9 in their allotted 20 overs despite a strong start.

The Proteas started their innings brilliantly, with Quinton de Kock and Hendricks returning to post 44 runs in four overs.

Ayub finally broke the opening stand in the penultimate delivery, getting rid of de Kock, giving Pakistan a breakthrough. The left-hander who started off 13-ball scored 23, with five fours.

Hendricks then joined debutant Tony de Zorzi in the middle, and the duo ensured South Africa’s momentum was maintained with a 49-run partnership for the second wicket, which culminated in Mohammad Nawaz’s dismissal of the latter in the eighth over.

The left-handed batsman made a remarkable contribution to South Africa’s total on debut with a blistering 33 from just 16 deliveries, comprising five fours and a six.

After his dismissal, the visitors lost two more wickets in quick succession as Dewald Brevis (nine) and Matthew Breetzke (one) fell victim to Nawaz and Ayub, respectively.

Hendricks then shared a brief 27-run fifth-wicket partnership with captain Donovan Ferreira (10), followed by a 39-run stand dominated by George Linde, until he was finally cleaned up by Abrar Ahmed in the 18th over.

The right-hander who started remained the leading scorer for South Africa with 60 off 40 deliveries, with five fours and a six.

Linde, on the other hand, followed suit in the next over, falling victim to Naseem Shah after scoring a quickfire 22-ball 36, studded with four fours and a six.

Ace pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi further derailed South Africa’s run to a big total by dismissing the crowded bowler Corbin Bosch in the final over, in which he conceded just six runs.

Nawaz led Pakistan’s bowling with three wickets for just 26 runs in his four overs, followed by Ayub with two, while Abrar, Naseem and Shaheen chipped in apiece.