Pakistan clinched the three-match T20I series against South Africa in Lahore on Saturday with a four-wicket victory, led by Babar Azam’s remarkable performance. Babar, who recently became the highest run-scorer in T20 internationals, surpassing Rohit Sharma with 4,234 runs, further solidified his record by surpassing Virat Kohli for the most T20I fifties. His innings of 68 runs off 48 balls, marking his 40th half-century in T20Is, played a crucial role in Pakistan’s successful chase of 140 runs after facing initial setbacks.
In the initial phase of the match, Pakistan chose to field first, and Shaheen Shah Afridi dismantled South Africa’s top order, claiming three wickets for 26 runs. Usman Tariq and Faheem Ashraf also made significant contributions with two wickets each, limiting the visitors to 139 for nine despite Corbin Bosch’s unbeaten 30 runs.
Pakistan’s skipper, Salman Ali Agha, added stability to the chase with a composed 33 runs, guiding Pakistan to victory in the 19th over and securing the series 2-1.