OBAKENG MELETSE
Tazmin Brits led the way as the Proteas Women beat Pakistan by 10 runs to take a 1-0 lead in the first of three T20 matches, at the Multan Cricket Stadium yesterday.
The Proteas lost the toss and did well to recover from a shaky start to set Pakistan a target of 133. The home side could only muster 122-5 in their allotted 20 overs.
The 18-year-old Seshnie Naidu was handed her international T20 debut, while regular spinner Nonkululeko Mlaba missed out, as she continues to recover from a mild illness.
Blitz Brits!⚡️🏏
— Proteas Women (@ProteasWomenCSA) September 16, 2024
Tazmin Brits notched up another classy half-century in style.
Her 56 off 63 balls guided South Africa to a respectable total. 👏#WozaNawe #BePartOfIt#AlwaysRising #SAWvPAKW pic.twitter.com/KaWcNGJ69Z
Tazmin Brits’ hard-fought innings of 56 off 63 balls kept the innings together for the visitors, while Marizanne Kapp’s solid start with the ball (2-22) ensured Pakistan could only manage 18-3 in the power play.
Debutant Naidu (1-25) announced herself with a brilliant one-handed catch at square leg off the bowling of Tumi Sekhukhune (2-15), before she registered her first international wicket with the scalp of Sadaf Shams soon thereafter.
The Proteas had to navigate a lively Multan wicket with plenty of uneven bounce early on with a lot of deliveries keeping low. Pakistan left-arm spinner Sadia Iqbal (3-34) found the cracks in the visitors’ top order and her double strike ensured South Africa were up against it early as they fell to 37-2 in the first power play.
Laura Wolvaardt looked good despite only scoring 11 runs, while Anneke Bosch’s stay at the crease was limited to a golden duck. South Africa found it hard to rotate the strike, while Pakistan captain Fatima Sana kept the pressure on with her spin-heavy attack.
🟢🟡| Match Result
— Proteas Women (@ProteasWomenCSA) September 16, 2024
🇿🇦South Africa win by 10 runs
We take a 1-0 lead in the 3 match T20i series.#WozaNawe #BePartOfIt#AlwaysRising #SAWvPAKW pic.twitter.com/ZShZnIsQZT
Brits struggled to get going in the early part of her innings, but the loss of Kapp for 14 required her to play the patient innings. The 33-year-old combined for a brisk partnership of 63 off 61 balls with Sune Luus after South Africa were in trouble at 41-3.
Luus, a brilliant player of spin, did settle things down and she rotated strike well in the early parts of her innings, before she showed off her offside game with a couple of shimmies down the wicket, playing classical lofted extra-cover drives for four. It was the same shot that was her downfall, though, as Iqbal picked up her third wicket of the night, stumped by Muneeba Ali for a run-a-ball 27.
Brits hung on to reach her half-ton and the crucial stand of 28 off 18 balls with Chloe Tryon saw South Africa to a defendable total.