CENTURION: Captain Babar Azam hit a record-breaking 122 to lead Pakistan to an impressive nine-wicket victory over hosts South Africa and a 2-1 lead in the four-match Twenty20 series at Centurion on Wednesday.
Mohammad Rizwan scored an unbeaten 73 as he and Babar, whose century came off 49 balls, shared a record 197-run partnership in a devastating display of batting that enabled the touring side to reel in South Africa’s competitive 203-5 with consummate ease.
For his extraordinary 122 off 59, Babar Azam has been named Player of the Match ????
He smashed 15 fours and four sixes in his knock!#SAvPAK ➡️ https://t.co/rihG1VCmdO pic.twitter.com/xmZUZ1qIWK
— ICC (@ICC) April 14, 2021
They won with two overs to spare after making 205-1, dispatching the home bowling to all corners of the ground. Babar’s record T20 score for Pakistan, including 15 fours and four sixes off 59 balls, came a day after he became the top-ranked one-day batsman.
https://twitter.com/LahoreWali_/status/1382357051020603398
He is third in the T20 rankings and played an innings of finesse and guile rather than bludgeoning shots to underline his class. Rizwan’s knock was overshadowed by his skipper but he was equally brilliant in a supporting role.
Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan put on 197, the fourth-highest T20I partnership overall, and the highest ever in a chase, according to ESPN. Fakhar Zaman, who came to bat after Azam was sent back to the pavilion, hit two fours to end the match.
Earlier, South Africa’s top-order batsmen — Janneman Malan and Aiden Markram — gave a tough time to the Pakistani bowlers, as they hit a combined score of 118 runs.
Malan hit 55 runs off 40 balls, while Markram was able to score 63 off 31 balls, which helped the Proteas achieve the 200+ target. George Linde and Rassie van der Dussen hit 22 and 34 runs, respectively.
Hassan Ali conceded most runs, 47, from Pakistan’s bowling side; however, he took a wicket for the team. Meanwhile, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Faheem Ashraf also picked up a wicket each. Mohammad Nawaz took two wickets and conceded 38 runs.
The action for the last two T20Is has moved to Supersport Park in Centurion after the first two games of the series were played at the Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg.
Both sides are using the series as preparation for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup that will be played in India later this year.
Squads
South Africa: Heinrich Klaasen (captain, wicketkeeper), Daryn Dupavillon, Bjorn Fortuin, Beuran Hendricks, George Linde, Wihan Lubbe, Sisanda Magala, Janneman Malan, Aiden Markram, Wiaan Mulder, Andile Phehlukwayo, Migael Pretorius, Tabraiz Shamsi, Lutho Sipamla, Pite van Biljon, Rassie van der Dussen, Kyle Verreynne, Lizaad Williams
Pakistan: Babar Azam (captain), Arshad Iqbal, Asif Ali, Danish Aziz, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haider Ali, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Mohammad Hafeez, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper), Mohammad Wasim, Sarfaraz Ahmed (wicketkeeper), Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sharjeel Khan, Usman Qadir, Zahid Mahmood
