Babar Azam helps Pakistan defeat South Africa by four wickets to win T20I series
Pakistan defeated South Arfica in the second third Twenty20 match. PHOTO: SHAFIQ MALIK
Babar Azam's 68 off 47 balls in Pakistan's chase of 140-runs proved to be crucial as the hosts won the Twenty20 International series 2-1 in Lahore on Saturday night.
Babar made an impressive comeback with his 37th T20I half-century overall, and his first since May 2024.
The performance was a fitting treat for the packed crowd at Gaddafi Stadium
🚨 @babarazam258 notches his 4️⃣0️⃣th fifty-plus score in T20Is - most for any batter in the format 🌟#PAKvSA | #GreenPeYaqeen | #BackTheBoysInGreen pic.twitter.com/KGAkUuQoU1
Meanwhile, Shaheen Shah Afridi made the most of his spell as he took three wickets only giving away 26 runs.
Usman Tariq, too, made a promising debut with his two wickets.
"The way Lahore crowd supported, this innings was due. I backed myself, the team believed in me," Babar Azam was quoted by Cricinfo.
"I was hoping for such a knock. There is pressure in everything. It is about how you absorb it. I wanted to do what the team needed, play according to the situation. I worked on my strengths, improved my weaknesses. At the start, the ball was gripping for spinners. Agha and I wanted to see off spinners. Fast bowlers were easy to face. Wanted to take it deep and build partnerships. Worked for the team. People should support every Pakistan player like they support me."
🏆 Pakistan take the series! Usman Khan hits the winning run and Gaddafi Stadium erupts with joy 🙌🏼#PAKvSA | #GreenPeYaqeen | #BackTheBoysInGreen pic.twitter.com/IYyhbEQfuD
Several South African batters made starts in their innings but wickets fell at regular intervals.
Reeza Hendricks top-scored with 34 and Corbin Bosch (30 not out) and captain Donovan Ferreira (29) were the others with modest contributions.
Pakistan seamer Shaheen Shah Afridi did early damage with two wickets in the opening over to put the visitors on the back foot and finished with figures of 3-26.
The two teams begin a three-match One-Day International series in Faisalabad on Tuesday.
"We didn't perform with the bat once again," Ferreira said. "The bowlers did well to fight until the end but there were not enough runs on the board."
Faheem Ashraf was named the Player of the Series.
"I have a role in the team. I try to play accordingly, be it with ball, bat or on the field. Even if I don't get to bowl or bat, I try to help the team with my fielding. I get edge as a bowler because I can think as a batter. So I try to think like a batter while I bowl, batter gets disturbed. When a batter expects me to bowl slow, I try to go pace-on. I am ready to adapt to the team's need with ball and bat," he said after the match.