Pakistan's record win in Babur's century.
Babar Azam became the third Pakistani batsman to score a century in T20.
Pakistan won by nine wickets in the third T20 at Centurion on
Wednesday. South Africa scored 203 runs in the fifth over of Aiden Markram and
Yaneman Malan. The visitors overcame that with two overs left.
It is Pakistan's highest run-scoring record in T20I. In the
first match of this series, they chased the target of 189 runs and won their
previous record.
In this edition, captain Babar scored 122 runs from just 59
balls in his first century. This is the highest personal innings of any
Pakistani batsman, surpassing Ahmed Shehzad's unbeaten 111.
Rizwan made an unbeaten 63 off 46 balls on his way to the
opening partnership of 198 runs with Babar. This is the fourth highest pairing
of any wicket in T20, the highest in chasing runs.
The visitors went ahead 2-1 in the four-match series. South
Africa is playing the series without a number of regular players.
Chasing the batting wicket at SuperSport Park, it was as if
Pakistan were leading the way in South Africa's innings. In the power play, the
hosts scored 65 runs without wickets and Pakistan made 64 runs. The opening
pair's run of both the teams touched 100 and hit exactly 80 balls.
Babur completed the fifth with 28 balls by arranging all the
great shots. He needs only 22 balls to go to the next fifty. From 90, Tabriz
touched Shamsi with sixes and fours in a row. Apart from Babar and Shehzad,
only Rizwan has scored a century for Pakistan in this edition.
The pair could have broken, of course, 135 runs. But Rizwan
was caught on points by Buran Hendricks.
Pakistan were on their way to winning their first 10 wickets
in the T20. However, Babar said goodbye to stay 8 runs away from victory. He
averaged 122 runs in 15 fours and 4 sixes.
Fakhar Zaman ensured victory on two boundaries with the next
two balls of Lizard Williams. Rizwan's 63-run innings included five fours and
two sixes.
Earlier, after losing the toss, South Africa got off to a
flying start with Markram and Malan batting. In the fifth over, Markram hit a
six with three fours off four balls by Hasan Ali.
The aggressive batting of the two openers kept increasing the
runs. Markram completed fifty off 25 balls, his third in a row in the series.
Mohammad Nawaz broke the pair of 107 runs by bowling this dangerous batsman.
Markram made 63 off 31 balls with 4 sixes and 6 fours.
George Linde (22 off 11 balls) stopped with a hint to take
the storm at number three. Unable to make the innings big in the first two
matches, Malan picked up the fifth with 36 balls. Then he returned. He made 55
runs off 40 balls with 5 fours and 2 sixes.
Heinrich Klaassen, the acting captain, did not last long.
With the exception of the team's score of two, it was mainly at the bat of Rasi
von der Dassen. The batsman, who was injured in the first match of the series,
was unbeaten on 34 off 20 balls with two sixes and a four.
This is the second time a team has scored 200 or more runs in
a Twenty20 match against Pakistan. That run also passed Pakistan effortlessly.
The two teams will meet in the fourth and final match of the
series next Friday at the same ground.
Short
Score:
South Africa: 203/5 in 20 overs (Malan 55, Markram 63, Linde
22, Dassen 34 *, Klaassen 15, Felukwayo 11, Afridi 4-0-39-1, Nawaz 4-0-38-2,
Hasan 4-0 -47-1, Rauf 4-0-40-0, Fahim 4-0-36-1).
Pakistan: (Goal 204) 205/1 in 16 overs (Rizwan 63 *, Babar
122, Fakhr 6 *; Linde 4-0-38-0, Hendricks 4-0-55-0, Williams 4-0-34-1, Shamsi
3-0-39-1, Magala 3-0-38-0)
Result: Pakistan won by 9 wickets
Winning series: Pakistan leads 2-1 after three matches in
four T20 series
Man of the Match: Babar Azam.
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