Opening batsman Mohammad Rizwan steered Pakistan to their highest winning run chase as they beat South Africa by four wickets in the first Twenty20 at Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg Saturday.
Rizwan made an unbeaten 74 as Pakistan chased down a target of 189 with one ball to spare.
Their previous highest T20 chase was 188 against Australia in Harare in 2018.
The match swung in the last four overs of the two innings.
South Africa could score only 29 in their last four overs, while Pakistan thrashed 52 off the last 3.5 overs.
Opening batsman Aiden Markram and stand-in captain Heinrich Klaasen made hard-hitting half-centuries for South Africa.
Markram hit 51 off 32 balls and Klaasen scored 50 off 28 deliveries as a depleted South African team made 188 for six off 20 overs after winning the toss.
Former South African captain Shaun Pollock Wednesday said he believed South African wicket-keeper Quinton de Kock was...
Posted by Sports Tribune on Wednesday, 7 April 2021
Pakistan struck back strongly in the last four overs after South Africa had been well-placed at 159 for three after 16 overs.
Klaasen was captaining South Africa in the absence of the injured Temba Bavuma, while Markram was a late inclusion in a side hit by a spate of injuries.
The Proteas were also without five players whose contracts with their Indian Premier League teams took precedence.
Left-arm spinner Mohammad Nawaz took two for 21, bowling three of his four overs in the opening power play, while fast bowler Hasan Ali took two for 28.
South Africa named three new caps in all-rounder Wihan Lubbe and fast bowlers Sisanda Magala and Lizaad Williams.
Pakistan included two players, Haider Ali and veteran Mohammad Hafeez, who were not part of their winning one-day international team in a series which ended Wednesday.
