PAK VS SA 2ND T20I

From Rawalpindi, the action now moves to Lahore for the second T20I of the three-match series between Pakistan and South Africa. The visitors, despite not being at full strength, have landed the first blow and will be keen to seal the series, while the hosts will look to bounce back at the Gadaffi Stadium and force a decider. In the series opener, after being asked to bat first, contributions from the top order and a late flourish from George Linde propelled the Proteas to 194. In reply, Pakistan never really found momentum as they kept losing wickets at regular intervals, eventually folding for 139. Reeza Hendricks set the tone at the top, while Quinton de Kock, just two games into his international return, will be eager to make a bigger impact. There was a brief stumble in the middle overs with Dewald Brevis, Matthew Breetzke, and captain Donovan Ferreira falling cheaply, and the trio will want to make amends. With the ball, South Africa were clinical. Corbin Bosch starred with a four-wicket haul, while George Linde and Lizaad Williams provided strong support in challenging conditions. As for Pakistan, they did well to finish strongly with the ball and limit the damage, but their batting performance left much to be desired. The much-anticipated return of Babar Azam to the T20I setup was short-lived, as he departed for a two-ball duck. Both openers, Sahibzada Farhan and Saim Ayub, got starts but couldn’t convert them into anything substantial, something Pakistan will hope changes in Lahore. The middle order, featuring Usman Khan, Hasan Nawaz, and skipper Salman Agha, will also need to step up. Mohammad Nawaz was the lone bright spot for the hosts, contributing with both bat and ball, and he will once again be key to their chances. Pakistan will look to their pace duo of Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah to strike early with the new ball, while Abrar Ahmed is expected to shoulder responsibility through the middle overs. This is only the second T20I series that South Africa are playing in Pakistan, with the previous one going the way of the hosts. It would be quite a feat for this second-string Proteas side to clinch a historic series win on Pakistani soil. Can they pull it off in Lahore, or will Pakistan hit back to keep the series alive? We shall find out.