South Africa VS Pakistan T20 International Series
3rd Match Played at Centurion Park on 15 April 2021
South Africa 203/5 In 20 Overs (Aiden Markram 63, Janneman Malan 55, Rassie vander Dussen 34, George Linde 22, Mohammad Newaz 2/ 32)
Pakistan 205/1 in 18 Overs (Babar Azam 122, Mohammad Rizwan 73, Lizzard Williams 1/34)
Pakistan Won by 9 Wickets.
Player of the Match: Babar Azam
Pakistan leads The 4 Matches T20 International Series after 3rd Match stands as 2-1
A very special classy innings by World’s number 1 T20 I Innings (122 in 59 minutes) paved Pakistan scaling easy the run mountain 203/5 set up by South Africa at Centurion Park Yesterday. Scoring 205/1 Pakistan won big by 9 wickets. Pakistan now leads the 4 matches 2-1.
There may have been few more aggressive innings played in T20 International by CH Gayle and others. But the innings of quality and calls that Babar played yesterday would have pleased even CH Gayle, AB de Villiers, Bredon McCullam at their prime. He attractive drives, cuts, pulls were eye pleasing, his placement bisecting fields had surgeon’s precision. Credit must also go to Mohammad Rizwan for another impressive unbeaten 73. Their 197 runs first wicket partnership set many milestones.
In the first match understrength South Africa losing 10 top players to IPL 2021 gave Pakistan tough time in losing cause. In the second they rocked Pakistan winning in style. Batting first at Centurion yesterday they set up a challenging score of 203/5. At one stage in the 14th over Protean were 2/141. The score could be a bit more had not Pakistani bowlers fought back a bit in the dying overs. Openers Aiden Markram (63 in 31 deliveries) and Janneman Malan (55 in 40) set up a strong foundation producing 108 /1 in 11 overs. After the departure of Markram Pakistani bowlers could wretch control a bit. But Rassie van Der Dussen (34*) and Linde (22) still managed taking South Africa to 203/5.
Chasing 200 plus score in any T20 excepting IPL 2021 is always a huge challenge. It required a special batting effort. Pakistani openers Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan produced that. Babar Azam showed to the cricket world what a special talent he is? Why he is considered the best batsman of T20 International. In his Master Class innings of 122 in 59 deliveries he hardly played any stroke with arrogance. All the 15 fours and 4 sixes were pure timing and touch of brilliance. Those who watched it live on electronic media (for me early morning at Brisbane) must consider it a life time opportunity. Credit must be given to Mohammad Rizwan as well. His unbeaten 73 of 47 deliveries was no less impressive. The two producing 197 in the first wicket partnership required only two strikes from Fakhar Azam for bringing another win of Joy for Pakistan. We are sure world cricket would see much more from Babar and Rizwan in not-too-distant future.
BDST: 1107 HRS, APR 15, 2021
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