In-form wicketkeeper batsman Mohammad Rizwan hit a maiden hundred as Pakistan edged out South Africa by three runs in a thrilling last over finish to first Twenty20 international in Lahore on Thursday.
Needing 19 to win off the last over, Bjorn Fortuin (17 not out) and Dwaine Pretorius (15 not out) managed 15 as pacer Faheem Ashraf held his nerves to keep South Africa down to 166-6 in 20 overs.
Rizwan’s cracking 64-ball 104 not out had six boundaries and seven sixes – most sixes by a Pakistan batsman in a Twenty20 international – to lift the hosts to 169-6.
He then ran out the tourists’ top-scorer Reeza Hendricks (54) in the 18th over to anchor the win.
Hendricks and Janneman Malan (44) had given the visitors a solid 53-run start by the seventh over before leg-spinner Usman Qadir took two overs in successive overs to derail South Africa.
South Africa’s most experienced batsmen David Miller (six) and skipper Heinrich Klaasen (12) also failed to lift the…