Pakistan’s build-up to the all-important T20 World Cup 2021 clash against Team India on Sunday (October 24) suffered a major blow when they lost their second warm-up match to South Africa on Wednesday (October 20). Rassie van der Dussen smashed an unbeaten century as Babar Azam’s side ended their two warm-up games with one win and one loss while India are heading into the T20 World Cup with two wins over England and Australia under their belt.
Van der Dussen hit a stunning unbeaten century off 51 deliveries as South Africa pulled off an extraordinary run chase to beat Pakistan. Van der Dussen and David Miller slammed 22 off the final over to seal the win off the very last ball of the match.
RESULT | Vuma #Proteas WIN BY 6 WICKETS
Rassie van der Dussen smashed an unbeaten 101 off 51 balls to guide the Vuma #Proteas to victory in the second warm-up game. #T20WorldCup #BePartOfIt pic.twitter.com/Dh57tN2zXP
— Cricket South Africa (@OfficialCSA) October 20, 2021
Earlier, Pakistan were asked to bat first at the Tolerance Oval in Abu Dhabi, and lost skipper Babar Azam inside the powerplay, with the opener clean bowled by Kagiso Rabada. Mohammad Rizwan and Fakhar Zaman led the rebuild, with the Proteas managing to keep the scoring rate down with the early fielding restrictions in place. But Zaman unleashed through the middle overs, slamming five sixes as he raced up through the gears before retiring out with 52 off 28 to his name.
Shoaib Malik’s 28 (20) and Asif Ali’s explosive 32 (18) kept the momentum going until Rabada returned to dismiss both in the penultimate over. And Hasan Ali hit a maximum of his own in the final over to help Pakistan to 186/6 off their full allocation.
Van der Dussen and captain Temba Bavuma consolidated after Imad Wasim had removed both of the South African openers early. There was still plenty for South Africa to do at the halfway stage of the chase, at 71/2 and with still 116 runs required.
But Van der Dussen teed off, ably supported by Bavuma, Heinrich Klaasen and then Miller to secure an unlikely win.
Brief Scores: Pakistan 186/6 (Fakhar Zaman 52, Asif Ali 32, Shoaib Malik 28; Kagiso Rabada 3/28) lost to South Africa 190/4 in 20 ovs (Rassie van der Dussen 101 n.o., Temba Bavuma 46)
