Rizwan shines in Pakistan win
Johannesburg, South Africa - Mohammad Rizwan took inspiration from teammate Fakhar Zaman and steered Pakistan to their highest winning run chase as they beat South Africa by four wickets in the first T20I in Johannesburg on Saturday.
Rizwan made an unbeaten 74 as Pakistan chased down a target of 189 with one ball to spare. Their previous highest T20 chase was 188 against Australia in Harare in 2018.
Rizwan captain Babar Azam got the side off to a quick start before Babar was out with the total on 41 in the fifth over. He was then joined by Fakhar, who made 27 off 19 balls before he was caught on the boundary off left-arm spinner Tabraiz Shamsi, who took two for 29.
Rizwan said he modelled his innings on the way Fakhar played in the second ODI when the latter hit 193. "Fakhar's innings was on my mind today, the way he played on this surface," said
Rizwan. "I was taking my time knowing I could score later on."
Rizwan hit nine fours and two sixes during his unbeaten 74.
The match swung in the last four overs of the two innings.
South Africa could score only 29 in their last four overs, while Pakistan thrashed 52 off the last 3.5 overs.
South Africa captain Heinrich Klaasen rued the poor finish to his side's innings. The slide started when he was caught at short leg off Hasan Ali off the second ball of the 17th over after he had raced to 50 off 28 balls.
"We were ten to 15 runs short," said Klaasen.
Five South African players were missing because of IPL commitments and Klaasen was a stand-in captain after Temba Bavuma was one of three players to miss out because of injuries.
Opening batsman Aiden Markram, who made 51, was a late inclusion after regular T20 opener Reeza Hendricks took paternity leave and the hosts had three new caps and only four players with more than ten caps.