Shadab Delivers Consolation Win in Final Game of South Africa Tour

Cricketnext Staff | Updated: February 7, 2019, 7:29 AM IST

Shadab Khan's all-round performance and Mohammad Amir's three-wicket haul helped Pakistan beat South Africa by 27 runs in the third and final T20I in Centurion for a consolation win.

Put in to bat, Pakistan scored 168 for 9 in 20 overs with contributions from multiple batsmen. Shadab remained unbeaten on 22 off 8 and then followed it up with 2 for 34 that, along with Amir's 3 for 27, helped keep South Africa to 141 for 9. Chris Morris' rearguard 29-ball 55* went in vain.

South Africa's chase was rocked early when Shaheen Afridi had Reeza Hendricks caught and bowled in the second over and Imad Wasim followed it up by bowling Janneman Malan in the next. The early strikes meant South Africa managed only 24 runs in the Power Play with Afridi conceding just 11 from his first three overs.

Amir joined in when he had Heinrich Klaasen caught at mid off with his first ball, leaving South Africa 30 for 3.

David Miller and van der Dussen, who have been in good form, started confidently with a few boundaries to attempt a revival. They took South Africa to 59 for 3 at the half-way mark but the revival didn't last long. Shadab had Miller attempt a slog, only to get him to pop a return catch. Faheem Ashraf then had van der Dussen slogging to mid off after a 35-ball 41. Shadab had one more when Phehlukwayo missed a reverse sweep to be trapped lbw.

The game seemed done and dusted at 80 for 6 but Chris Morris kept South Africa's hopes alive, smashing 21 runs in an over off Ashraf. However, Amir struck at the other end to take the game away from the hosts.

For a brief while at the start of the game, Babar Azam seemed to take off from where he left in the previous game. The opener began with five boundaries - four in the same over off Junior Dala - before Chris Morris had him caught at cover point for 23 (11).

Fakhar Zaman then got going hitting two fours and a six off Lutho Sipamla but he too couldn't convert his start and fell to Hendricks within the Power Play.

Pakistan were 50 for 2 at the end of the Power Play. A 42-run stand for the third wicket between Shoaib Malik and Mohammad Rizwan kept Pakistan going but none of the batsmen could convert the knocks into something big.

Rizwan handed Sipamla his maiden international wicket, before Malik was run out in a bizarre run out where both him and his partner Hussain Talat were at the same end.

After numerous replays, the third umpire deemed Talat to be marginally ahead of his captain.

Imad Wasim and Asif Ali played cameos but Hendricks struck in the death as Pakistan collapsed from 89 for 2 to 146 for 9 in the 19th over. Shadab Khan then smashed Andile Phehlukwayo for three sixes in a 21-run 20th over to end the innings on a high.