Pakistan spinners Mohammad Nawaz and Saim Ayub were impressive on a batting-friendly surface at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium to restrict South Africa to 194-9 in the first Twenty20 International on Tuesday.
Nawaz (3-26) and Saim (2-31) kept the hosts from posting a 200-plus score despite Reeza Hendricks’ half century.
South Africa, put into bat first after Pakistan won the toss, rode on Hendricks’ anchoring 60 and a late flourish from George Linde in front of a capacity crowd.
The Proteas got off to a blazing start, with Quinton de Kock and Hendricks plundering 44 in the powerplay.
De Kock, returning to international T20 cricket after a lengthy hiatus, looked in ominous touch, striking five boundaries in his 23 off 13 balls.
However, part-time spinner Saim struck in the fourth over, inducing a thick edge from de Kock that was pouched at point by Faheem Ashraf.
Tony de Zorzi, on T20I debut, announced himself with a flurry of strokes, smashing five fours and a six in his 33 off 16. The left-hander’s audacious lofted drive off Salman Ali Agha for six over long-on was the highlight of a 49-run second-wicket stand with Hendricks.
But Nawaz, introduced in the eighth over, turned the game on its head. The left-arm spinner deceived de Zorzi with a wide, full delivery outside off, leaving the batsman stranded as wicket-keeper Usman Khan effected a sharp stumping.
Nawaz was not done. He accounted for the dangerous Dewald Brevis for nine, the ball skidding low to crash into off-stump as the youngster attempted a premeditated slog-sweep.
Matthew Breetzke, promoted to number, struggled for timing and fell for one, pulling a short delivery from Saim straight to deep square leg. At 112 for four in the 11th over, South Africa were wobbling.
Skipper Donovan Ferreira tried to stabilise but managed only 10 before Nawaz struck again, breaching his defences with a skidding arm-ball.
Hendricks, who had played second fiddle during the early blitz, took charge thereafter. The opener brought up his fifty off 32 balls with a top-edged sweep off Saim that sailed for six.
He found an able ally in Linde, who injected momentum with a 34-ball 36, laced with four boundaries and a six.
The pair added 39 for the sixth wicket, with Linde’s slog-sweep off Abrar Ahmed for six in the 17th over standing out.
Shaheen Shah Afridi, bowling the 17th, was taken for 18 runs, including four streaky boundaries as Linde feasted on width. Hendricks looked set for a bigger score but fell in the 18th over, bowled by Abrar while attempting a cross-batted swipe.
Naseem Shah removed Linde in the 19th over with a yorker that uprooted middle stump, while Shaheen returned to dismiss Corbin Bosch, caught at long-on.
The final over saw drama as Lizaad Williams was run out attempting a suicidal single, Shaheen’s acrobatic collection and Usman’s presence of mind sealing the innings at 194 for nine.
While Nawaz and Saim flourished, Shaheen and Naseem were expensive, conceding 45 and 34 respectively, but struck late blows. Abrar, despite going for 42, claimed Hendricks’ prized scalp.
The total, while substantial, could have been higher had South Africa avoided the mid-innings collapse. Pakistan will back their batting to chase down 195 on a surface offering little to bowlers, though the Proteas’ spinners will fancy their chances under lights.
Earlier, former skipper Babar and wicket-keeper batter Usman returned to the Pakistan XI.
Babar played his last T20I in December last year, while Usman featured in the format for Pakistan in March. The duo replaced Fakhar Zaman — who has opted out of the series to play first class cricket — and Mohammad Haris, whose low returns lately have concerned head coach Mike Hesson.
The series sees Pakistan continue their build-up to next year’s T20 World Cup after faring decently in their biggest test under Hesson at the Asia Cup last month — beating all sides they came up against except world number one and archrivals India, who handed them defeats in all three encounters including the final.
South Africa, in contrast, arrive as a depleted outfit on paper — the presence of star batter de Kock, featuring in a Twenty20 International for the first time since June 2024, standing out in a largely second-string squad led by Ferreira, who has just nine T20Is to his name.
Hence, Pakistan can be safely called favourites to take the series trophy, which would help restore their damaged confidence following the triple-drubbing from India.
The hosts too haven’t shied away from striking a balance between experimentation and experience, with Babar coming back.
“He’s a world-class player,” Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha said of Babar in the pre-series press conference on the eve of the match. “His presence always benefits the team. He’s played over a hundred T20s, led Pakistan many times, and scored heavily. His experience will strengthen our batting line-up.”
Pacer Naseem, who missed both the tri-nation series and the Asia Cup, is also set to make his comeback. Uncapped spinner Usman Tariq and exciting middle-order batter Abdul Samad have been drafted in as part of Pakistan’s search for depth and flexibility ahead of the global showpiece next year.
“We were looking for a wicket-keeper-batter who can play in the middle order, especially against spin,” Salman said, defending Usman Khan’s inclusion over Haris. “Even though his international record isn’t great yet, you must’ve seen in the PSL that he bats well against spin in middle overs. We needed that kind of player who can both keep wickets and handle spin in that phase.”
Teams:
Pakistan: Saim Ayub, Sahibzada Farhan, Babar Azam, Salman Ali Agha (captain, Usman Khan†, Hasan Nawaz, Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, Abrar Ahmed
South Africa: Quinton de Kock, Reeza Hendricks, Tony de Zorzi, Dewald Brevis, Matthew Breetzke, Donovan Ferreira (captain), George Linde, Corbin Bosch, Lizaad Williams, Nandre Burger, Lungi Ngidi
