New Delhi:
For Pakistan, anything that could go wrong for them on the tour of South Africa has gone wrong. The bowling and batting has struggled in patches. After being whitewashed 3-0 and losing the ODI series 2-3, the Twenty20 International series represented Pakistan’s best chance to salvage some pride. They had won 11 consecutive series, which is a record for any team in the format. However, following a narrow loss in Cape Town, Pakistan’s record run was halted dramatically as they lost the Johannesburg Twenty20 International by seven runs to lose a series for the first time since 2016. Reeza Hendricks (45) and David Miller’s (65*) helped South Africa reach 188/3 and despite Babar Azam’s 90, Pakistan still fell short.
It was a terrible day, in particular, for one Pakistan bowler. Usman Shinwari, the left-arm fast bowler who had impressed in the Sri Lanka ODIs with a five-wicket haul, bore the brunt of South Africa’s onslaught. Shinwari ended with figures of 4-0-63-0 and these are the worst figures by a Pakistan bowler in Twenty20 Internationals, beating the previous worst of Faheem Ashraf who was smashed for 55 runs in four overs against New Zealand in Mount Maunganui in 2018.
Shinwari started off the game in horrendous fashion as he was blasted for two consecutive sixes by debutant Jaaneman Malan. After a couple of sixes, he was greeted by a six from Rassie van der Dussen but the batsman was run-out and he conceded just three more runs. In the 15th over, Miller pounded him for two fours to long off and to the third man fence but in the final over, it all went horribly wrong for Shinwari.
The first ball was dispatched by Miller over long on and the second ball resulted in a couple to sweeper cover. The left-armer bowled a waist high full toss and Miller clobbered it over deep midwicket for another six and despite not conceding anything in the free-hit, Miller blasted two fours and a six as 29 runs came in the final over.
Shinwari’s figures of 4-0-63-0 is the 10th worst figures by a bowler in Twenty20 Internationals. Ireland medium pacer Barry McCarthy conceded 69 runs in four overs against Afghanistan in Greater Noida in 2017 as Afghanistan blasted 233/8 with Ireland losing by 28 runs. These are the third-worst bowling figures in Twenty20s in Johannesburg. Kyle Abbott of South Africa was smashed for 68 in four overs against the West Indies in 2015 while Sanath Jayasuriya was hit for 64 runs in four overs against Pakistan in the 2007 World T20 encounter at the Bull Ring.
Pakistan would be hoping to salvage some pride in the third and final match on February 6 in Centurion as they aim to end the tour on a high.
