An injury-hit South Africa, missing seven frontline players, stunned Pakistan with a commanding 55-run victory in the first Twenty20 international on Tuesday, silencing a packed home crowd that had turned up to celebrate Babar Azam’s T20I comeback.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Pakistan’s chase of 195 never gathered steam, folding for 139 in 18.1 overs, as Corbin Bosch (4-14) and George Linde (3-31) produced a masterclass in disciplined bowling. The Proteas’ spirited effort gave them a 1-0 lead in the three-match series, with the remaining games scheduled in Lahore on Friday and Saturday.The night belonged to Reeza Hendricks, who anchored the South African innings with a fluent 60 off 40 balls, laced with five fours and a six. Debutant Tony de Zorzi added fireworks with a brisk 33 off 16 balls, while Linde provided late momentum with 36 off 22 to lift the Proteas to 194/9 after a blazing powerplay start of 74 runs.For Pakistan, Mohammad Nawaz (3-26) briefly halted the run flow, but the hosts’ top order once again faltered under pressure. The spotlight was on Babar Azam, returning to T20Is after 10 months, but the star batter fell for a second-ball duck, offering a simple catch to Hendricks. The Rawalpindi crowd, ecstatic moments earlier, was left stunned into silence.
Poll
Do you think Babar Azam will bounce back in the next matches?
Only Saim Ayub (37 off 28) and Nawaz (36 off 20) showed resistance, but Bosch’s pace and Linde’s guile ensured Pakistan never came close.Skipper Donovan Ferreira, captaining in place of the injured David Miller, praised his team’s composure. “It was a collective effort — Reeza held it together, George exploded, and Bosch was exceptional with energy and accuracy,” he said.Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha lamented yet another batting collapse. “We’re losing wickets too quickly and need partnerships,” he admitted.The defeat extends Pakistan’s struggles in the shortest format — and puts Babar under pressure to inspire a quick turnaround when the series shifts to Lahore.
