All-round Pakistan rout South Africa in second T20I

Pakistan humbled South Africa to level the three-match T20I series with a resounding nine-wicket victory on the back of a commendable bowling and batting display in a low-scoring second encounter at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on Friday.

The series decider will be staged at the same venue on Saturday (tomorrow).

Faheem Ashraf (4-23) and Salman Mirza (3-14) delivered exceptional spells to bundle out South Africa for a modest 110 in 19.2 overs on a surface offering just enough skid to trouble the batters. Dewald Brevis top-scored for the tourists with a brisk 25 off 16 balls, peppered with three towering sixes.

Pakistan, in response, cruised to the target in just 13.1 overs, courtesy of a scintillating unbeaten 71 from Saim Ayub, who faced only 38 balls.

Chasing a manageable 111, openers Sahibzada Farhan and Saim Ayub provided a fluent start, adding 54 runs in 40 deliveries. Corbin Bosch eventually broke the stand, trapping Farhan leg-before for a 23-ball 28, which included three massive sixes.

Babar overtakes Rohit

Babar Azam, greeted warmly by a jubilant home crowd, joined Saim at the crease.

Meanwhile, the star batter who ended 11 not out off 18 balls, marked by a single elegant boundary finally achieved a significant career milestone, surpassing India’s Rohit Sharma to become the highest run-scorer in T20I history.

Babar now boasts 4,234 runs from 123 innings in 130 matches, edging past Rohit’s 4,231 runs from 151 innings across 159 matches.

Saim roars back to form

On the other hand, the home team’s swashbuckling opener Saim Ayub finally roared back to form, notching up his fifth T20I half-century. During his entertaining knock, the young left-hander unleashed a flurry of exquisite strokes to seal the match with ease.

Saim’s sparkling innings featured five sixes and six fours; he reached his fifth T20I half-century from just 29 deliveries. His assault on Ottneil Baartman in the ninth over, two sixes and a four, yielded 21 runs, effectively sealing South Africa’s fate.

Dominant bowling display

Earlier, Pakistan’s decision to bowl first paid immediate dividends. Left-arm pacer Salman Mirza, playing only his sixth international match, struck in his opening over, clean-bowling the in-form Reeza Hendricks for a duck. Naseem Shah followed up in the next over, removing Quinton de Kock.

Mirza continued his fine rhythm, dismissing Tony de Zorzi (7) with a short-pitched delivery. Mirza picked his third scalp after dismissing Breetzke for 5, leaving South Africa reeling at 23-4 in the fifth over.

The visitors never recovered. Brevis briefly counterattacked with his fiery 25 before Faheem Ashraf removed him, caught by Mohammad Nawaz at point.

Faheem then dismantled the middle order, bowling Denovan Ferreira (15) and George Linde (9) in successive overs to leave South Africa tottering at 73-7.

Naseem Shah (2-28) joined the party, accounting for Corbin Bosch (11), while Abrar Ahmed and Faheem wrapped up the tail.

South Africa’s total of 110 was their second-lowest against Pakistan and the third-lowest ever recorded at Gaddafi Stadium.