2nd T20I: Pakistan aim to bounce back against South Africa
What's the story
Pakistan will face South Africa in the second T20I of their five-match series on October 31. The match is scheduled to take place at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, starting at 8:30pm IST. In the first T20I, South Africa's Reeza Hendricks scored a brilliant half-century and played a crucial role, helping the visitors secure a comprehensive 55-run victory over Pakistan. Here is the preview of the second game.
Match recap
Recap of the 1st T20I
In the first T20I, South Africa posted a strong total of 194/9, thanks to Hendricks's 60 and contributions from Quinton de Kock (23), Tony de Zorzi (33), and George Linde (36) Despite Mohammad Nawaz's late fightback with a three-wicket haul and a 36-run knock, Pakistan fell short in their chase. Saim Ayub (37) was the only other Pakistan batter to score over 30. Babar Azam was dismissed for a second-ball duck.
Pitch report
Pitch report of Gaddafi Stadium
The pitch at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore is known to favor batters, especially in limited-overs cricket. It offers consistent bounce and pace, allowing batters to play their shots freely. The fast outfield also aids well-timed strokes in reaching the boundary easily. This makes it a high-scoring venue for matches. As mentioned, the game will get underway at 8:30pm IST.
Historical stats
Overall head-to-head record (T20Is)
Speaking of history, Pakistan and South Africa have played a total of 25 T20I matches, as per ESPNcricinfo. Out of these, Pakistan has won 12 while South Africa have emerged victorious in 13. The first-ever fixture between the two teams was held on February 2, 2007, where South Africa had won. At home, the Men in Green have two wins and as many defeats against the Proteas unit.
Team line-ups
Predicted playing XIs of both teams
Pakistan's predicted playing XI: Saim Ayub, Sahibzada Farhan, Babar Azam, Salman Agha (c), Usman Khan (wk), Hasan Nawaz, Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, Abrar Ahmed. South Africa's predicted playing XI: Quinton de Kock (wk), Reeza Hendricks, Tony de Zorzi, Dewald Brevis, Matthew Breetzke, Donovan Ferreira (c), George Linde, Corbin Bosch, Lizaad Williams, Nandre Burger, Lungi Ngidi.
Stats
Here are the key performers
Nawaz was the pick of Pakistan's bowlers in the opener, finishing with 3/26 in four overs. He also scored 36 runs. Reeza Hendricks's 60 off 40 balls in the first game was studded with 5 fours and a six. George Linde was the Player of the Match in the opener, having scalped three wickets besides scoring 36 runs. With 1,587 runs at a strike rate of 155.58, Sahibzada Farhan is the second-leading run-getter in T20 cricket this year.
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