In a crucial match for the South African cricket team, Faheem Ashraf played a pivotal role by removing skipper Donovan Ferreira after the latter managed to hit two boundaries off the all-rounder, departing the field with 15 runs from just 15 balls. South Africa found themselves in deep trouble, struggling at 66 for 6 after 10 overs.
Dewald Brevis, showcasing his talent, hit a notable no-look six en route to scoring 25 runs off 16 balls, including three sixes, contributing to his team’s powerplay total of 31. However, his innings came to an end at the hands of Faheem Ashraf, who continued to be a thorn in the side of the South African batting order.
Salman Mirza was involved in a series of fielding mishaps, notably misfielding and dropping an opportunity to catch Breetzke, who had previously been granted a lifeline by being dropped on zero off Naseem Shah. Mirza eventually came back to redeem himself, dismissing Breetzke after the latter scored a few runs with a boundary.
Naseem Shah also made an impact by dismissing top-order batsman Quinton de Kock for just 7 runs, while Salman Mirza further compounded South Africa’s troubles by outfoxing Tony de Zorzi with a slower delivery that sent him back to the pavilion for only 7 runs off 10 balls. Reeza Hendricks faced similar frustration, falling for a duck to Mirza in the first over.
With captain Salman Ali Agha’s decision to field first in the second T20I at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, Pakistan aims to recover from their previous defeat in the series opener, where they lost by 55 runs. The Proteas will need to bounce back quickly to regain momentum in the ongoing series. As the match progresses, both teams will be looking to capitalize on the shifting dynamics on the pitch.