Sri Lanka’s start was a bit shaky. Nissanka got run out on 24 runs. Kamil Mishara scored 27 runs and got stumped out on Abrar’s delivery.  Abrar struck again; this time, he took Kusal Mendis’s wicket. Captain Asalanka got trapped in Abrar’s googly. Samarawickrama scored 42 runs and was bowled by Harish Rauf. Janith Liyanage and Kamindu Mendis controlled the flow from there. Janith scored fifty, and Kamindu scored 44 runs.

At the end of the innings, Hasaranga scored a quick 37 runs. Sri Lanka posted a total of 288 runs. Harish Rauf and Abrar Ahmed took 3 wickets each. Wasim picked up 1 wicket.

Pakistan get a good start. Both the openers get a start. Saim Ayub got out on a quick 33 runs. Sri Lanka dropped a couple of catches of Fakhar Zaman. But missed his hundred because of the Janith traffic catch. Babar played with patience and scored a century in his home ground. Rizwan also scored a fifty.  

PAK – 264-8 (49.4)

Player of the Match – Salman Agha

Pakistan vs South Africa first ODI played at Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad, on November 4. 

Pakistan won the toss and opted to bowl first. Lhuan-dre Pretorious and De Kock opened for South Africa. Both openers gave South Africa a good start. Lhuan-dre hit a fifty on his debut match. Pakistan got their first wicket in Saim Ayub’s over, Lhuan-dre scored 57 runs. De Kock also hit a fifty. Naseem Shah bowled out De Kock. De Kock scored 63 runs.

In the very next over, Saim Ayub got another wicket of Tony de Zorzi. Captain Matthew Breetzke and Sinethemba Qeshile tried to build a partnership, but Sinethemba got out in Nawaz’s over on 22 runs. Breetzke scored 42 runs, and Corbin Bosch scored 41 runs. No other batter stood up for South Africa. Abrar and Nasheem got 3 wickets each, Saim Ayub got 2 wickets, and Nawaz and Shaheen picked up 1 wicket each. South Africa posted a total of 263 runs.

Pakistan had a good start. Saim Ayub scored 39 runs and got out to Danovan Ferreira. In Danovan next over, he got another opener as well. Fakhar scored 45 runs. Babar also got out early on Bjorn Fortuin’s ball. Rizwan and Agha hold the rope of chase. Rizwan scored 55 runs and got out on Corbin Bosch’s ball.

Hussain Talat scored 22 runs and got out to Lungi Ngidi. At this point, Pakistan needed 23 runs in 24 balls, but Pakistan still made it to the final over and lost 8 wickets. Agha scored 62 runs.

PAK –140-6 (19)

Player of the Match – Babar Azam

Pakistan vs South Africa played a 3-match T20I series, both teams stand at 1-1 before this match. Pakistan won the final battle at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on 1 November.

Pakistan won the toss and opted to bowl first. Shaheen came to the team and showed his flair in 1st over, back-to-back on 2nd and 3rd balls. De Kock and Lhuan-dre Pretorious got out on a duck. Brevis and Reeza built a partnership, but the scoring rate was slow. Brevis got out in an attempt to increase the run rate. 

Donovan Ferreira scored some quick runs and got out to Faheem Ashraf. On the next ball, George Linde got out on duck. Corbin Bosch saved the team from getting all out and scored 30 runs. Shaheen took 3 wickets, and Faheem and Usman picked up 2 wickets each. Nawaz and Salman picked up 1 wicket each. South Africa posted a total of 139 runs.

Saim Ayub got out on a duck. Sahibzada also got out after scoring 19 runs. Babar and Captain Salman Ali Agha built a partnership. Took Pakistan to the safer side in the run chase. Salman Agha scored 33 runs and got out on William’s ball. In the next over, Babar also got out to Corbin Bosch. At that time, Pakistan needed 15 runs in 22 balls, but somehow they still managed to lose 2 more wickets.

PAK – 112-1 (13.1)

Player of the Match – Salman Mirza 

Pakistan vs South Africa 3-match T20 series at 1-1. The 2nd T20i was played at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore, on October 31.

Pakistan won the toss and opted to bowl first. Salman Mirza came on for the first over, in place of Shaheen, due to workload management. Salman bowled out Reeza Hendricks on the 2nd ball of the over. In the second over, Nasheem Shah took the wicket of De Kock.

Salman Mirza took the wicket of Tony de Zorzi in his second over. Salman Agha captained on point in this match; he gave back-to-back three overs to Salmaan. In his third over, he bowled Matthew Breetzke. Dewald Brevis tried to fight back, but in the 7th over, Faheem Ashraf took his wicket. Faheem bowled Ferreira in the 10th over and George Linde in the 12th over.

Salmaan Mirza took 3 wickets, and Famheem Ashraf took 4 wickets. Nasheem Shah picked up 2 wickets. Abar picked 1 wicket. South Africa was bowled out for 110 runs in 19.2 overs.

Pakistan’s start was good. Pakistan scored 49 in the power play without losing a wicket. In the 7th over, Brevis dropped a catch of Saim Ayub, which later cost them the match. On the next ball, Corbin Bosch took the wicket of Shahibzada Farhan. Shahibzada scored 28 runs. Saim Ayub scored 71 runs, and Babar Azam scored 11 runs. Pakistan got an easy win with 9 wickets in 13 overs.

SA   – 404-10, 73-2

Player of the Match – Keshav Maharaj 

South Africa vs Pakistan from October 20 to 24, at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi.

Pakistan won the toss and opted to bat first. It was a spin-friendly track, so batting first was a good option. South Africa got an early wicket of Imam-ul-Haq. Abdullah Shafique and Captain Shan Masood stabilised the innings. Shafique scored 57 runs, and Shan scored 87 runs. Babar Azam got out early on Maharaj’s ball.

Saud Shakeel and Salman Agha scored 66 runs and 45 runs to reach a comfortable score. Keshav Maharaj took 7 wickets, Harmer took 2 wickets, and Rabada picked 1 wicket. 

Markram and Rickelton opened for South Africa. Rickelton got out early on Shaheen’s ball. Markram scored 32 runs, Stubbs scored 76, and Tony de Zorzi scored 55. Asif Afridi took quick wickets, and Shan Masood made a bad decision to take a new ball. The top-order player struggled against Asif, but after the new ball, it was easy for Senuran Muthusamy and Rabada to score runs. Muthusamy scored 89 not out, and Rabada scored 71 runs. The 98 runs last wicket partnership gave a lead of 71 runs.

Pakistan’s start was terrible for the second innings. They lost 3 wickets on just 16 runs. Babar Azam scored 50 runs, Salman Agha scored 28 runs, and Rizwan scored 18 runs. Harmer took 6 wickets, Maharaj took 2 wickets, and Rabada picked 1 wicket.

It was an easy target for South Africa in the 4th innings. They need 68 runs; Rickelton scored 25 not out, and Markram scored 42 runs. Noman Ali took 2 wickets, but they were not effective as the match was about to finish.