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South Africa will be taking on Pakistan in the second encounter of the four-match T20I series in Johannesburg this Monday, April 12.
After winning the One-Day series against South Africa in their home, Pakistan got off to a winning start in the four-match T20I series. Pakistan beat the hosts by four wickets on the penultimate ball thanks to Mohammad Rizwan’s knock of 74 and some timely assistance from Faheem Ashraf.
As it happened, South Africa put on a very good total of 188-6 on the back of Aiden Markram and Henrich Klaasen’s fifties. At one stage, the hosts were reduced to 36-2 in 4.4 overs. It was then Captain Klaasen joined Markram, and the duo started smacking the bowlers. The two scored 62 runs in only 5.3 overs for the third wicket.
After Markram fell to Mohammad Nawaz for a well made 51 off 32, Klassen took over the charge. He, along with Pite van Biljon, added 61 runs in 6.1 overs for the fourth wicket. Klaasen’s terrific knock of 50 off 28 deliveries with four sixes helped SA get to 188, which looked like a good score at the Wanderers stadium.
Chasing 189, Pakistan’s opening pair had a decent start with 41 runs on the board in 4.4 overs before Babar Azam was dismissed by Bueran Hendricks. Mohammad Rizwan played an anchor’s role while Fakhar Zaman (27) and Haider Ali (14) played quick cameos around him. The visitors needed 57 runs in the last five overs with seven wickets in hand.
But South Africa’s Bueran Hendricks had other plans. Hendricks, out of nowhere, sent Haider Ali and Mohammad Nawaz back in the dugout on consecutive deliveries. It was a stiff task for Pakistan now but they still had Rizwan at the crease, who was joined by Faheem Ashraf. The pair hammered 46 in the next four overs. Needing 11 off last over, Pak lost Faheem on the second ball, and Rizwan couldn’t get the strike, but they somehow managed to get over the line in a comical way. Needing nine off four, Hasan Ali’s bat took the outside edge, and the ball flew away for a boundary followed by a double and a triple on the penultimate delivery thanks to an overthrow.
With Pakistan having a 1-0 lead in the four-match series, South Africa will try their best to get back in the series. Another closely fought thriller could be lined up for the viewers in the second T20I match.
Key Players
Haider Ali is one of the most exciting young talents in the world. The 20-year old has had a decent start to his T20 career. In 11 matches, Haider Ali has maintained a strike rate of 139 and has provided Pakistan with the firepower in the middle order. The power-hitting prodigy has even more impressive numbers in all T20 cricket, averaging 27 and striking at 153.47. If Haider Ali gets enough game time, he’ll be a player to watch out for in the 2nd match.
Babar Azam, the Pakistan skipper, has an outstanding record in limited overs formats. Azam has scored 1744 runs in T20 Internationals at an average of 47 and a strike rate of 129.95. The stylish right-handed batsman has already shown his class on the South Africa tour with a hundred in the ODI series. After falling cheaply in the first, Azam will be itching to go big in the second T20I.
Henrich Klaasen, the temporary captain of the South Africa T20 team, has shown the world just how destructive he can be. In the first T20I, Klassen scored an awe-inspiring knock of 50 off just 28 with four sixes in it. In his T20 career so far, the wicket-keeper batsman has an average of 25 and an incredible strike rate of 153.5. The dynamic Klaasen will once again be SA’s main man.
Janneman Malan, one of the Malan brothers, has risen through the ranks on the back of some impressive performances in domestic cricket. Janneman Malan seems to have the game to succeed in all formats, especially limited overs. In T20 cricket, Janneman has a 32 average and 136.68 strike rate to his name. The opener will have the chance to get SA to a rocking start.
Prediction
Pakistan will be heading into the second match brimming with confidence after their performance on tour so far. South Africa, on the other hand, will be rueing the missed opportunities and will be itching to script a turnaround.
The visitors being a more settled unit with momentum on their side makes them favourites to win the match but South Africa do have home conditions to rely on and they won’t back down from a challenge.
The Pakistan team is looking a lot stronger than their opponents and could well win the second match to go 2-0 up at Jo’burg.
