Lahore [Pakistan], February 13 (ANI): Reeza Hendricks and Pite van Biljon both scored 42 runs as South Africa held their nerve throughout the innings to chase down Pakistan’s total with 22 balls to spare in the second T20I on Saturday.
Dwaine Pretorius produced the best men’s T20Is figures by a South African to help the Proteas draw level at 1-1 with Pakistan on the back of an excellent six-wicket win at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.
The all-rounder claimed five for 17 in four overs as the visitors restricted their hosts to just 144 for seven after winning the toss and bowling.
South Africa then comfortably chased down the target with 22 deliveries to spare. It means that the three-match sequence will be decided when the final game of the tour is played at the same venue on Sunday.
But match two was all about Pretorius. Playing in his 13th T20I, the 31-year-old was in stellar form as he smashed his previous best international figures of one for 12 and beating Ryan McLaren’s record of five for 19 against West Indies at North Sound in 2010.
He was outstanding from the outset with his tight lines and length asking some real questions of the home side. Pretorius’ first wicket came in the second over when he got one to nip back and trap Pakistan captain Babar Azam’s leg before wicket for five.
Andile Phehlukwayo (1/31) and Tabraiz Shamsi (1/16), another man that was in superb form, then claimed a wicket each to leave the hosts on 48 for three in the seventh over.
Mohammad Rizwan was the only man who was making most of the runs at the other end, adding a strong 51 (41 balls, 6 fours, 1 six) to his tally.
Once he fell to a Pretorius slower ball, Iftikhar Ahmed (20) and Faheem Ashraf (30* off 12 balls) helped their side to a respectable, albeit modest total.
Janneman Malan (4) and Jon-Jon Smuts (7) did fall early in the Proteas’ chase to give the home side hope.
But Hendricks clubbed three sixes and three fours in his 30-ball salvo and van Biljon crashed three sixes and two fours in his innings that lasted 32 balls to knock the spirit out of Pakistan. It was also the highest score by the latter in his sixth T20I, although both fell with 40 still to get.
David Miller (25* off 19 balls) and skipper Heinrich Klaasen (17* off nine balls) then finished the job to give the South Africans their first win of the tour.
Brief scores: Pakistan 144/7 (Mohammad Rizwan 51; Dwaine Pretorius 5-17); South Africa 145/4 (Reeza Hendricks 42, Pite van Biljon 42; Shaheen Afridi 2-18) (ANI)