AI Simulation, PAK vs SA | Pakistan ride on Babar's 63 to level series 1-1 in Lahore with 190-run chase

Pitch and Weather

South Africa won the toss and elected to bat first with recent trends in Lahore suggesting putting runs on the board as an effective strategy.

Pakistan Probable XI: Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Babar Azam, Salman Agha (c), Usman Khan (wk), Hasan Nawaz, Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, Abrar Ahmed 

South Africa Probable XI: Reeza Hendricks, Quinton de Kock (wk), Tony de Zorzi, Dewald Brevis, Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Donovan Ferreira (c), George Linde, Corbin Bosch, Lizaad Williams, Nandre Burger, Lungi Ngidi

Opting to bat first, South Africa got off to a flying start with Reeza Hendricks and Quinton de Kock combining for eight boundaries and two maximums in the powerplay to leave the scorecard reading 61/0 at the end of six overs. The spread of field thereafter, alongwith the introduction of spin into the attack, tempered down the scoring rate just long enough for de Kock to mistime a shackle-breaking attempt and hole out at long-on off Mohammad Nawaz for a 27-ball 38. Tony de Zorzi fell soon after in similar fashion, only this time against Abrar Ahmed, but Hendricks kept motoring along all the same as he brought up a 32-ball half-century. The tourists brought up the three figure mark in the 12th over and seemed set to use the foundation as a launchpad when Hendricks became Pakistan's third victim when castled by Abrar. Nevertheless, Dewald Brevis had walked out with intent and together with skipper Dewald Brevis put up a gamechanging half-century stand in just 22 deliveries, laced with five maximums no less. Even after Ferreira departed for 22 off 14, Brevis dealt a couple more blows to end on 41 off 25 balls and take South Africa to a resounding first-innings total of 189/6.

In response, Pakistan put even their rivals to shame with the explosive start they out together as Saim Ayub and Sahibzada Farhan teared into the bowling attack. The former struck a hattrick of fours in the second over itself, while Farhan launched Nandre Burger for two mammoth maximums as the hosts seized momentum with a powerplay score of 68/0. However, in a mirror reflection of South Africa, the Men in Green lost Fahran for a 21-ball 32 almost as soon as men went back to boundary as the opener tried to take on George Linde. However, the stage had been set, and in walked Babar Azam brimming with new-found intent. The veteran played out a few deliveries much like his old avatar but as soon as he set his eyes in, the former skipper took no half-measures in going after the Proteas pace options. The onslaught began with four boundaries in Corbin Bosch's second over and even the wicket of Ayub for 44 off 25 failed to bother Azam as he took Lizaad Williams for 14 runs in an over. Skipper Salman Agha was inspired by the same to stroke two fours and a maximum in a 15-ball cameo of 21 and by the time he fell, Pakistan required a mere 40 off the final overs. Babar endured a brief slowdown as he brought up a 32-ball fifty but Hasan Nawaz made sure it did not impact the chase with a couple of delightful strokes at the other end. Fittingly, it was Babar who scored the winning runs with a chip over the infield with four balls to spare to level the series for Pakistan, setting up a series decided in Lahore.  

Babar Azam was duly named player of the match in his second appearance after a return to the T20I setup for his 41-ball 63 that helped anchor the 190-run chase against South Africa in Lahore.

Scorecard