JOHANNESBURG: The third and final T20I between Pakistan and South Africa at Wanderers Stadium was abandoned due to persistent rain, handing the Proteas a 2-0 series victory. Despite high expectations for an exciting conclusion to the series, continuous light to heavy rainfall along with lightning strikes prevented the toss from taking place and any play from occurring.
Rain had been looming over Johannesburg, and as the weather worsened throughout the day, it became clear around midday the match would not proceed. This unfortunate end marks Mohammad Rizwan’s second T20I series defeat as Pakistan's captain, the first being the disastrous 3-0 whitewash against Australia last November.
The Proteas entered this match after claiming victories in both of the first two encounters of the series held earlier this week. The series opener took place at Kingsmead, Durban, where South Africa put up a formidable total of 183/9. David Miller was the standout performer, scoring a breathtaking 82 runs from just 40 balls, featuring four boundaries and eight sixes. His innings was pivotal as he led the South African attack alongside all-rounder George Linde, who added 48 runs from 24 balls.
Pakistan fought valiantly but fell short, ending their innings at 172/8, with Rizwan top-scoring with 72 runs off 64 balls and Saim Ayub adding 31 runs from 15 balls. Sadly, Pakistan's middle-order collapse cost them dearly, resulting in an 11-run loss.
Moving to the second T20I, held at SuperSport Park, Centurion, Pakistan rallied with impressive performances, posting 206/5. Saim Ayub was exceptional, smashing 98 not out from 57 balls, including eleven boundaries and five sixes. Other contributions came from Irfan Niazi, who scored 30 off 16 balls, and Abbas Afridi adding 11 runs from four balls. Despite this strong performance, the hosts, South Africa, chased down the target with ease, losing only three wickets.
Reeza Hendricks emerged as the star of the match with his phenomenal century, scoring 117 runs from 63 balls, which included seven boundaries and ten sixes. Rassie van der Dussen maintained the momentum, finishing the innings unbeaten on 66 runs from 38 balls.
All ticket holders for the final T20I were left disappointed as they flocked to the stadium only to be met with bad weather and no play. This marked the end of what had been established as an entertaining series, full of promise, now diminished by nature’s unpredictability.
Now, both teams will shift their focus to the upcoming ODI series, with the first match set to take place on December 17 at Boland Park, Paarl. This will provide another opportunity for both sides to claim bragging rights, with Pakistan hoping to gear up and learn from their performance throughout the T20I series.
Cricket analysts have noted the importance of these ODIs for Pakistan, especially under Rizwan’s leadership. Having suffered two defeats, the team will aim to fix the shortcomings revealed during this T20I series.
"Both sides will look forward for the ODI series followed by the two-match Test series as well," remarked one cricket analyst, emphasizing the importance of building confidence moving forward. Looking to solidify team strategies, both nations seem poised to enter the next competitive phase of their tours, eager to secure victory.
This series, albeit awkwardly concluded, raises anticipation for the matches to come, with fans hoping the weather cooperates and delivers exciting cricket experiences over the coming weeks.
