Fatima Sana’s masterclass with both bat and ball ensured Pakistan ended their T20I series against South Africa on a high. Despite losing the series 2-1, Pakistan claimed a massive 53-run victory at Willowmoore Park in Benoni on February 16. It was a dominant performance that saw the visitors post a competitive total before their bowlers dismantled the Proteas’ batting lineup, handing South Africa their second-lowest T20I total in the last four years.
The game started with Pakistan choosing to bat, but they immediately found themselves in deep water. Both openers, Muneeba Ali and Gull Feroza, were dismissed for ducks within the first two overs. Ayesha Zafar (19) and Sidra Amin (26) tried to steady the ship with a 38-run partnership, but the South African bowlers kept the pressure on. When Natalia Pervaiz fell in the 12th over, Pakistan was struggling at 68/5, and a low total seemed inevitable.
However, the momentum shifted dramatically when captain Fatima Sana joined Aliya Riaz at the crease. Sana was aggressive from the outset, hitting three fours and a six in her first ten deliveries. Together, the pair stitched a game-changing 70-run stand for the sixth wicket off just 45 balls. Sana’s unbeaten 47 off 30 balls, supported by Riaz’s 26, propelled Pakistan to a respectable 144/7. South Africa’s bowlers, led by Nonkululeko Mlaba and Ayabonga Khaka, were effective early on but couldn’t contain the late onslaught.
South Africa’s chase was a disaster from the start. Fatima Sana carried her batting form into her bowling, removing the dangerous Tazmin Brits for a duck in the very first over. Left-arm spinner Sadia Iqbal then turned the game into a rout, claiming two wickets in three balls during the fourth over to leave the hosts reeling at 26/3. When Sana returned to dismiss her counterpart, Laura Wolvaardt, for 11, the Proteas were gasping at 30/4.
There was a brief glimmer of hope for the home side as Annerie Dercksen (30) and Nadine de Klerk (27) put together a 55-run partnership. They managed to drag South Africa back into the contest, bringing the equation down to 60 runs needed from the final five overs. But just as the pressure began to mount on Pakistan, the South African middle and lower order suffered a catastrophic collapse, losing their final four wickets for a measly six runs. Marizanne Kapp wasn’t unavailable to bat.
The clinical nature of Pakistan’s defense was underscored by three runouts in the closing stages, as South Africa was eventually bundled out for just 91 in 16.5 overs. Sadia Iqbal finished with impressive figures of 3/18, while Fatima Sana’s 2/12 earned her the Player of the Match and Player of the Series awards. This 53-run victory stands as Pakistan’s largest-ever T20I win against South Africa, providing a huge boost of confidence ahead of the upcoming ODI series.
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