DURBAN, Dec 11: South Africa beat Pakistan by 11 runs in a thrilling Twenty20 that went to the last over at Kingsmead.
Set 184 to win, Pakistan was thwarted on 172-8.
Pakistan appeared to be saving wickets for a madcap finish. Opener Mohammad Rizwan’s steady but slow innings put pressure on his partners to swing hard.
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They mainly delivered. Saim Ayub hit 31 runs, and Tayyab Tahir 18 off 18.
When Tahir left, five overs remained, and Rizwan woke up. In the 17th over, he clubbed Kwena Maphaka for sixes over long-on and long-off.
But in the 18th, left-arm spinner George Linde took out three Pakistanis in four balls and thought he finished the over with a hat trick. But Haris Rauf’s review showed the ball missing leg stump.
Rizwan hit three boundaries in the 19th over and had bolted from 36 off 44 to 74 off 61. Pakistan reached the last over needing 19 runs.
He was out second ball, miscuing a pull at Maphaka to backward point, and Pakistan hopes died with him.
Linde’s standout performance included four wickets with the ball after whacking a 24-ball 48 to give the Proteas a healthy 183-9. (AP)
