Twitter Reactions: Mohammad Rizwan rules the show for Pakistan in the first T20I

After a thrilling two-match Test series, Pakistan and South Africa were up against each other in the highly-anticipated first T20 International of the three-match series at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. The viewers were served with utmost entertainment throughout the game as a comprehensive show by both the teams resulted in the match going for an exciting finish and the hosts clinching it on the last ball of the game by just three runs.

Toss went in the favour of visiting captain Heinrich Klaasen and he elected to bowl. Put to bat first, the opening wicketkeeper-batsman Mohammad Rizwan launched an assault on the opposition bowlers as he hammered the ball like anything to play a scintillating knock of 104 runs off 64 deliveries including 6 boundaries and 7 maximums.

Though Pakistan had lost their skipper Babar Azam on the second ball of the innings only and no other batsmen contributed positively to the scoreboard, Rizwan stood tall at one end and took his team to an above-par total of 169 runs in 20 overs. For South Africa, right-arm pacer Andile Phehlukwayo picked two wickets while Lutho Sipamla, Tabraiz Shamsi, and Bjorn Fortuin had one each to their name.

Reeza Hendricks puts brilliant effort in the chase

In reply to 169 runs posted by Pakistan on the scoreboard, the visiting nation had a terrific start as both the opening batsmen namely Janneman Malan and Reeza Hendricks started hitting from the first ball and collected 53 runs within 7 overs. However, Malan lost his wicket off Usman Qadir, while playing at 44. However, Malan’s wicket caused a collapse of the visitors’ batting line-up.

Meanwhile, Hendricks held his fort at one end and managed to keep the homes of SA alive in the chase. Though the opener lost his wicket in the 18th over, Dwaine Pretorius and Bjorn Fortuin took the game to the last ball with their power-hitting knock of 15 off 6 and 17 off 9 respectively.

As far as the bowlers are concerned, Haris Rauf and Usman Qadir were the pick of the bowlers for the host team with 2 wickets under their belt while Faheem Ashraf picked one scalp. Despite a brilliant effort by the visiting team, Pakistan somehow managed to save the game and won it by 3 runs.

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