LAHORE: A disciplined South African side has thrashed Pakistan by six wickets in the second Twenty20 International at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on Thursday.
Fast-bowler Dwaine Pretorius’s five-wicket haul ensured that the visitors brought the three-match T20I series level at one apiece. Shaheen Shah was the most successful bowler for Pakistan, picking up two wickets in three overs at the expense of 18 runs.
After restricting the Pakistan side to 144 runs, South Africa lost opener Janneman Malan (four off two) and batsman JJ Smuts (seven off eight) early as pacer Shaheen Shah charged with intensity.
The Proteas batsmen Reeza Hendricks and Pite van Biljon however did not back down, stringing together a partnership of 77 runs off 54 deliveries. Leg-spinner Usman Qadir finally got the better of Hendricks as the batsman departed after scoring 42 runs off 30 deliveries.
Biljon soon followed, caught and bowled by left-arm spinner Mohammad Nawaz, after scoring 42 runs off 32 deliveries. Batsmen David Miller (25 runs off 19 deliveries) and Heinrich Klaasen ( 17 off nine deliveries) then saw their side through with six wickets to spare.
Earlier, South Africa had won the toss and opted to field first. Pakistan had won the first T20I after Mohammad Rizwan’s 104-run knock propelled the green shirts to victory. The third and final match is on Sunday, also in Lahore.
South Africa have made three changes to the squad with Glenton Stuurman, JJ Smuts and Pite van Biljon coming in for Jacques Snyman, Bjorn Fortuin and Junior Dala.
