South Africa Women’s cricket team held their nerve to secure a thrilling 10-run win against Pakistan Women in the first T20I of the 2024 South Africa Women’s tour of Pakistan. Despite a fierce fightback from Pakistan’s Aliya Riaz and Fatima Sana, who stitched together a valiant 75-run stand, South Africa’s disciplined bowling ensured the visitors edged ahead in this exciting opener.
South Africa’s Resilient Start
Opting to bat first after winning the toss, South Africa got off to a steady but cautious start. Pakistan’s spinners quickly gained control, making it difficult for the visitors to find any rhythm. Tazmin Brits, however, held her ground like a seasoned warrior. With a measured 56* off 50 balls, Brits played the anchor role perfectly.
Sadia Iqbal was the star with the ball for Pakistan, putting in a remarkable spell, taking 3 wickets for just 34 runs. She, alongside Nida Dar, kept South Africa’s middle order in check. Nida’s 4 overs for just 11 runs was nothing short of spectacular, creating pressure that limited the South African batters from taking control.
Despite the challenging conditions, South Africa managed to put up a competitive total of 132/4 in 20 overs, thanks to a late surge from Sune Luus (27 off 23 balls). With a decent total on the board, it was up to the bowlers to defend it on a slow, turning pitch that kept batters guessing.
Pakistan’s Early Collapse
Chasing 133, Pakistan faltered early. South Africa’s new-ball duo of Marizanne Kapp and Ayabonga Khakha hit their strides right away, reducing Pakistan to 21/4 in no time. The pressure was immense, and the top-order crumbled, with Kapp’s fiery pace and Khakha’s swing proving too hot to handle. Tumi Sekhukhune also got in on the action, taking 2 wickets and strangling Pakistan’s chances early.
Nida Dar and Aliya Riaz tried to consolidate, but Nida fell soon after, leaving Pakistan in a precarious position at 47/5. At this point, it looked like South Africa was cruising to victory with Pakistan seemingly out of the game.
The Late Fightback
Then came the twist. Enter Aliya Riaz and Fatima Sana. The duo decided to launch a counter-attack that caught South Africa off guard. While Aliya took a more cautious approach, Fatima Sana brought the fireworks, taking the game back to South Africa with some hard-hitting strokes. They began to close the gap, finding boundaries at crucial moments and keeping the run rate within reach.
Aliya, who ended with an unbeaten 52*, started to find her groove, smashing the South African bowlers around the park in the final overs. Fatima, too, played a pivotal role with her aggressive 37*, as the two mounted a serious challenge.
With Pakistan needing 23 from the last two overs, the game was poised on a knife’s edge. But South Africa, seasoned and composed, managed to hold on. The bowling of Sekhukhune and Kapp in the final overs was critical, as they restricted Pakistan’s aggressive batting and closed out a narrow victory.
South Africa’s Strengths
The key to South Africa’s success in this match lay in their balanced bowling attack and their ability to capitalise on Pakistan’s early weaknesses. Kapp’s 2/22 and Sekhukhune’s 2/15 were the standout figures, but what truly made the difference was their disciplined line and length. Both bowlers found just enough movement off the seam to unsettle Pakistan’s batters.
Tazmin Brits’ 56* was the glue that held the South African innings together, and her ability to rotate the strike and punish the bad balls was crucial in ensuring South Africa had a target they could defend.
Pakistan’s Missed Opportunity
Pakistan will be ruing their top-order collapse, which left them with too much to do in the latter stages. Their inability to build partnerships early on was their undoing, despite a heroic effort from Aliya and Fatima.
Sadia Iqbal’s 3/34 and Nida Dar’s economical spell were positives for Pakistan, but their batting unit will need to find more consistency if they are to challenge South Africa in the remainder of the series.
Key Takeaways
- South Africa’s Bowling Power: The early strikes from Kapp and Sekhukhune were decisive, setting the tone for the match and ensuring Pakistan was always chasing the game.
- Aliya Riaz’s Brilliance: Aliya’s 52* was a reminder of her capability to steer the team in pressure situations. Her calculated attack, coupled with Fatima Sana’s aggression, almost turned the game around.
- Pakistan’s Top-Order Woes: The collapse of Pakistan’s top order, with four wickets down inside the first six overs, left them too much ground to cover in the chase. A more solid start will be crucial in the next match.
- Tazmin Brits’ Leadership: Brits’ knock was a masterclass in composure and resilience. As wickets fell around her, she anchored the innings and ensured South Africa had enough on the board.
FAQs
Tazmin Brits scored an unbeaten 56, anchoring the South African innings.
Pakistan struggled early, losing four wickets quickly. A late fightback from Aliya Riaz (52*) and Fatima Sana (37*) brought them close, but they fell short by 10 runs.
For South Africa, Marizanne Kapp (2/22) and Tumi Sekhukhune (2/15) were outstanding. Sadia Iqbal was Pakistan’s standout bowler, taking 3 wickets for 34 runs.
South Africa’s early strikes, reducing Pakistan to 21/4, was the decisive factor in the match. Despite a late surge from Pakistan, the early damage was too much to recover from.
The next T20I is scheduled for later this week, where Pakistan will look to level the series.
Conclusion
South Africa’s victory in the first T20I was a result of their balanced bowling attack and the composure of Tazmin Brits with the bat. Despite a late fightback from Pakistan, led by Aliya Riaz and Fatima Sana, the early wickets left them with too much to do. South Africa now leads the series, and Pakistan will need to regroup if they hope to bounce back in the second match. Stay tuned for more action in what promises to be a thrilling series!
