Chasing down an improbable 150, Pakistan scored a fantastic five-wicket victory over South Africa in the first of three T20 Internationals at the National Stadium in Karachi.
The hosts finished on 151 for five after the Proteas earlier posted 150 for three.
Debutant Shawaal Zulfiqar and Sidra Ameen opened the batting for the home team. Not that the 18-year-old Zulfiqar was intimidated too much by SA T20 Player of the Year Nonkulekelo Mlaba as it only took her four deliveries to hit her first boundary in the shortest format of the game. Zulfiqar safely navigated the next two overs but was then caught by Nadine de Klerk from a Marizanne Kapp delivery when she was on 11 and the total was on 27.
Scenes at National Bank Stadium, Karachi 🙌🇵🇰#PAKWvSAW | #BackOurGirls pic.twitter.com/OgITbnuYl5
— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) September 1, 2023
Ameen and Bismah Maroof remained calm under the pressure of chasing a substantial total before Ameen was run out thanks to some brilliant fielding by Sune Luus (57/2). Two overs later and with the score on 66, the same fate befell Pakistani captain Nida Dar when a direct hit from Ayabonga Khaka sent her packing.
A third run-out, Maroof for 37, just when Pakistan reached 100 at a run-a-ball and with a possible victory in sight, upset the applecart. The 17 runs conceded by Nadine de Klerk in the 16th over however brought the hosts back into the game.
Kapp and her experience were brought back in the penultimate over and it paid dividends as Muneeba Ali was run out for 19 of 17 balls. This left Pakistan with eight runs of six deliveries for victory.
Aliya Riaz (28 of 26) kept her cool in the last over, punishing Masabata Klaas and securing victory of the last ball.
A thriller in Karachi 🤯
— ICC (@ICC) September 1, 2023
Pakistan edge South Africa on the back of a brilliant Aliya Riaz cameo to go 1-0 up in the T20I series 👏#PAKvSA 📝: https://t.co/SlMa3Iduf9 pic.twitter.com/faKgY8e8IS
Earlier two substantial partnerships enabled South Africa to post 150 for three after being sent in to bat by Dar. Protea interim captain Laura Wolfvaardt (44) and Tazmin Brits (78) scored 85 for the first wicket before Britz went on to score 58 with Kapp (19) for the second wicket.
Halfway through the innings the South Africans were looking pretty comfortable on 67 without loss, with Wolvaardt on 28 from 28 and Brits on 37 from 32.
Dar created opportunities to get rid of Brits (37) and Wolvaardt (42) in the 12th over but both catches were dropped. Nashra Sundhu however struck in the next over when she
bowled Wolvaardt for 44 (38 balls, 6 fours) with the score on 85.
Kapp faced 13 balls for her 19 runs before Syeda Aroob Shah took a catch from a delivery of Sadia Iqbal (19th over). In the last over, Brits went for a big one but was caught on the boundary by Diana Baig from the bowling of Fatima Sana. Her contribution was a mammoth 78 from 64 balls, including nine fours and one six.
The second match is on Sunday and the third is on Monday, both at the same venue.
SOUTH AFRICA: Laura Wolvaardt (captain), Tazmin Britz, Marizanne Kapp, Sune Luus, Anneke Bosch, Nadine de Klerk, Delmi Tucker, Sinalo Jafta, Ayabonga Khaka, Nonkululeko Mlaba, Masabata Klaas.
PAKISTAN: Nida Dar (captain), Sidra Amin, Bismah Maroof, Muneeba Ali, Aliya Riaz, Fatima Sana, Aroob Shah, Diana Baig, Nashra Sundhu, Sadia Iqbal.