Pacers Faheem Ashraf and Salman Mirza achieved their best international T20 figures to lead Pakistan to a nine-wicket win against South Africa in Lahore on Friday.
Ashraf took 4/23 and Mirza captured 3/14 to dismiss South Africa for a mere 110.
Opener Saim Ayub then struck an unbeaten 71, enabling Pakistan to chase down the target.
This win levelled the series at 1-1 after South Africa’s triumph in the first match in Rawalpindi by 55 runs on Tuesday. The third and final match will be held in Lahore on Saturday.
Ayub’s 38-ball innings included six fours and five sixes, with the last six coming off Donovan Ferreira to secure the victory. Babar Azam also remained not out on 11.
Pakistan raced to 54 in the seventh over, with Sahibzada Farhan smashing
three sixes as he made 28 before being trapped leg-before by Corbin Bosch.
Azam has become the highest run-scorer in T20 internationals, surpassing India’s Rohit Sharma’s total of 4,231 in 159 games. Azam now has 4,234 runs in 130 matches.
Pakistan captain Salman Agha hopes his team can replicate this performance in the series decider.
“I am happy with this win,” said Agha. “They outplayed us in the last game, but today we bowled well up front, and I hope this good work continues in the next match.”
South African skipper Ferreira admitted the batting let his team down.
“We didn’t give our bowlers enough to defend,” said Ferreira. “We don’t have much time to reflect on this, so we need to put it behind us and come strong tomorrow.”
South Africa, sent in to bat, were jolted two balls into their innings when Mirza bowled Reeza Hendricks for nought.
Naseem Shah had Quinton de Kock caught for seven before Mirza dismissed Tony de Zorzi (seven) and Matthew Breetzke (five) in successive overs.
From 23-4, Dewald Brevis and Ferreira added the highest stand of the innings, contributing 26 runs before Ashraf ended any hope of a revival with a haul of four wickets.
Brevis hit three sixes in his 16-ball 25, South Africa’s top score, while Ferreira added 15.
Ashraf’s previous best of 4-27 was against Afghanistan in Sharjah last month, while Mirza’s best of 3-20 came against Bangladesh in Dhaka earlier this year.
(With AFP Inputs)
