Top-ranked Pakistan aim to square T20 series

JOHANNESBURG: Pakistan fell short of South Africa by a whisker – six runs – in the first Twenty20 International, and will be desperate to hit back in the second game on Sunday (today) and take the series into a decider.The South African top order had a good outing in the first T20I. While Gihahn Cloete was dismissed for 13, Reeza Hendricks and Faf du Plessis smashed 74 and 78 respectively to provide a fine base for the middle and lower order to build on in the death.However, the batsmen who followed could not replicate their heroics – none managed more than 10 – allowing Pakistan to fight back in the death overs and keep their target within sight.With du Plessis rested for the last two games, a bulk of the responsibility will now fall on the stand-in skipper, David Miller.South Africa couldn’t really contain the scoring either, with all of Babar Azam, Hussain Talat and Shoaib Malik getting starts.It’s credit to the home bowlers that they came roaring back, taking wickets regularly to ensure Shoaib Malik had to try and do it all by himself.David Miller also played a big role. With four catches and two run-outs, he was a livewire in the field and was adjudged Player of the Match.Pakistan will take heart from their bowlers’ performance in the death overs. They took five quick wickets to stun South Africa’s middle order, and Usman Shinwari, who returned 3-31, will be raring to go again in Johannesburg.The visitors, however, will be aware of the need for their batsmen to notch a big score. All of Azam, Talat and Malik managed starts, but Pakistan needed someone to go on and get a big score and finish the chase. In tight T20 matches, that is key.There was good news for Pakistan, with Mohammad Hafeez, ruled out of the first game with a hamstring problem, set to return in Johannesburg.Malik, the stand-in skipper, might also consider bringing in one of Shaheen Afridi or Mohammad Amir to infuse more pace into the attack.Score BoardPakistan won tossSouth AfricaR Hendricks c Shadab b Shinwari 74†G Cloete c Fakhar b Imad 13*F du Plessis c Malik b Shinwari 78H van der Dussen c Rizwan b Shinwari 0D Miller c Babar b Faheem 10C Morris c Babar b Hasan 1H Klaasen not out 5A Phehlukwayo not out 5Extras (lb 4, nb 1, w 1) 6Total (6 wickets; 20 overs) 192Fall: 1-26, 2-157, 3-157, 4-176, 5-178, 6-186Bowling: Malik 1-0-12-0; Imad 4-0-23-1; Hasan 4-0-34-1 (1 nb); Faheem 3-0-36-1; Shadab 3-0-38-0; Shinwari 4-0-31-3; Talat 1-0-14-0 (1 w)Did not bat: B Hendricks, J Dala, T ShamsiPakistanFakhar Zaman c R Hendricks b B Hendricks 4Babar Azam run out 38Hussain Talat c B Hendricks b Shamsi 40*Shoaib Malik c Miller b Morris 49Asif Ali c Miller b Morris 13Imad Wasim c Miller b Shamsi 4Faheem Ashraf c Klaasen b Phehlukwayo 8†Mohammad Rizwan run out 2Hasan Ali c Miller b B Hendricks 11Shadab Khan not out 7Usman Shinwari not out 0Extras (b 1, lb 2, w 6) 10Total (9 wickets; 20 overs) 186Fall: 1-4, 2-85, 3-93, 4-113, 5-118, 6-144, 7-152, 8-164, 9-179Bowling: B Hendricks 4-0-40-2 (3 w); Dala 4-0-44-0 (2 w); Morris 4-0-39-2 (1 w); Phehlukwayo 4-0-27-1; Shamsi 4-0-33-2Result: South Africa won by 6 runsMan of the Match: David Miller (S A)Series: South Africa lead three-match series 1-0Umpires: Adrian Holdstock and Bongani Jele (South Africa). TV umpire: Allahudien Paleker (South Africa). Match referee: Ranjan Madugalle (Sri Lanka)Today’s matchPakistan vs South Africa 05:30 pm (PST)

from The News International - Sports http://bit.ly/2DQ6e0t