South Africa vs Pakistan, 2019: 1st T20I – Statistical Highlights

South Africa took a 1-0 lead in the three-match T20I series against Pakistan by clinching a thriller at the Newlands in Cape Town by a mere six-run margin. Faf du Plessis (78) and Reeza Hendricks (74) added 131 for the 2nd wicket which helped South Africa post a total to 192/6. Babar Azam (38) and Hussain Talat (40) put Pakistan in a good shape during the chase. However, the visitors kept losing wickets while their skipper Shoaib Malik fought through. He got out on 49 in the final over to bring curtains to Pakistan’s chances.

All the major stats and numbers recorded during a rare loss for Pakistan in T20I format:

End of big streak:

9 – Number of consecutive matches that Pakistan had won in T20I cricket before this game; the 2nd longest winning streak for any team in this format. Afghanistan won 11 consecutive T20I matches between 2016 and 2017.

11 – This defeat also brought an end to Pakistan 11-match successful run while chasing in T20I cricket; the longest streak for any team in this format. Last time Pakistan lost a T20I was in the 2016 WT20 against Australia which cost them the place in the semi-final.

Miller turns Jonty:

4 – Number of catches David Miller has taken in this game; the joint-most by any fielder in a T20I game. He is also the first South African fielder to claim as many as four in a T20I game.

Only eight other players have taken four or more catches in a T20I as wicketkeepers with AB de Villiers in the 2012 WT20 game against Zimbabwe being the only South African.

10 – The ten runs made by David Miller are the fewest by a specialist batsman to win the player of the match award in a T20I despite picking a wicket. The left-hander took four catches and affected two runouts in this game.

A new high for Pakistan:

186/9 – The total of 186/9 by Pakistan in this game is their 2nd highest in a run-chase in this format. They were bowled out for 187 while chasing 212 against Sri Lanka in the 2013 Dubai T20I while they made 187/4 against Australia during their chase of 184 in the last year’s Tri-Series Final in Zimbabwe.

186/9 – The 186-run total by Pakistan is their 3rd highest in a T20I without an individual scoring a fifty. They made 203/5 against the Windies during the last year’s Karachi T20I where the highest score was only 41. Pakistan made 191/5 against Bangladesh with a best score of 45 in the 2007 Nairobi T20I against Bangladesh.

A record partnership:

131 – The partnership of 131 runs between Faf du Plessis and Reeza Hendricks is the highest 2nd wicket partnership for South Africa and the overall the Saffers’ 4th highest for any wicket in T20I cricket. Quinton de Kock and Rilee Rossouw added 129 for the 2nd wicket against Australia during the 2014 Adelaide T20I.

131 – The 131-run between Du Plessis and Hendricks is the 3rd highest stand for any wicket in T20Is against Pakistan. Martin Guptill and Kane Williamson shared 171 in the 2016 Auckland T20I while Loots Bosman and Graeme Smith added 132 in the 2007 Johannesburg T20I. Both the stands came for the opening wicket to take their team to a 10-wicket victory during the chase.

A rare double for South Africa:

4 – Earlier in the day, the South Africa Women’s team registered a 7-wicket win over Sri Lanka Women. By defeating Pakistan, the South Africa Men’s team recorded only the 4th instance of both Men and Women’s teams of South Africa winning a T20I on the same day.

On 29th March in their respective WT20 games in 2014, on 19th February in 2016 at the Newlands in Cape Town and on 4th March in 2016 at the Kingsmead in Durban both the Men and Women’s teams of Proteas won a T20I.