CAPE TOWN - Faf du Plessis and Reeza Hendricks set up a record total for the Proteas as they defeated Pakistan by 6 runs in the first of three T20s at Newlands on Friday evening.

The Proteas set Pakistan a record run chase of 193 to win in Cape Town, however, the obstacle was too high for the world No 1 T20 side as they fell short of their target.

David Miller though could not click with the bat but his hawkish fielding on the ground was key to South African’s victory, a fact that earned him a man of the match award. He took two key catches but the real blow to Pakistan’s chase came when his lightning speed baffled Pakistani batsmen and his accurate direct throws got the key wickets of Babar Azam and Muhammad Rizwan that kept Pakistan at bay despite going so close.

Despite going on the attack with substantial innings from skipper Shoaib Malik scoring 49, Hussain Talat 40 and Babar Azam 38 - the tourists kept on losing key wickets at regular intervals.  Tabraiz Shamsi was the pick of the Proteas bowlers, finishing with figures of two for 33. Meanwhile, Chris Morris who defended the required 16 in the final over, finished on two for 39.

South Africa made 192 for six after being sent in. It was the highest total in a T20 international at Newlands but it seemed likely to be much higher when Du Plessis and Hendricks were plundering the bowlers in a second-wicket stand of 131 off 74 balls.

Du Plessis smashed 78 off 45 balls (6 fours and 4 sixes), while Hendricks scored 74 off 41 deliveries (8 fours and 2 sixes). But Du Plessis’ dismissal in the 16th over sparked a mini-collapse and South Africa lost five wickets while scoring only 35 runs in the last 28 balls of the innings.

Left-arm fast bowler Usman Shinwari was the pick of the Pakistani bowlers as he dismissed Du Plessis and Rassie van der Dussen in the same over and finished with three for 31. The second T20 gets underway at the Wanderers on Sunday.

Du Plessis was in imperious form, striking six fours and four sixes before driving Shinwari to Pakistan captain Shoaib Malik at mid-off. Van der Dussen was caught behind without scoring by a diving wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan two balls later.

South Africa suffered a blow before the match when wicketkeeper-batsman Quinton de Kock was ruled out of the series because of a groin injury. He was replaced in the squad by uncapped Janneman Malan.

Skipper Malik had earlier said he did not expect the pitch to change much. “It is more of a tactical decision” to bowl first, he said. The same pitch was used for the final one-day international between the two countries on Wednesday as well as a women’s international earlier on Friday.

Malik said Pakistan were keen to build on an outstanding 2018 when Pakistan won 17 out of 19 Twenty20 internationals. “It is more or less the same squad except our captain (suspended Sarfraz Ahmed) is not here,” he said.

Du Plessis said he also would have bowled if he had won the toss. The South African team included only four of the players who clinched the one-day series at Newlands on Wednesday. “It is exciting to give some new guys opportunities,” said Du Plessis.

Scorecard

SOUTH AFRICA:
R Hendricks c Shadab b Shinwari 74
G Cloete c Fakhar b Imad 13
F du Plessis c Malik b Shinwari 78
H van der Dussen c Rizwan b Shinwari 0
D Miller c Babar b Faheem 10
C Morris c Babar b Hasan 1
H Klaasen not out 5
A Phehlukwayo not out 5
EXTRAS: (lb4, nb1, w1) 6
TOTAL: (6 wkts; 20 overs) 192
FOW: 1-26, 2-157, 3-157, 4-176, 5-178, 6-186
BOWLING: Shoaib Malik 1-0-12-0, Imad Wasim 4-0-23-1, Hasan Ali 4-0-34-1, Faheem Ashraf 3-0-36-1, Shadab Khan 3-0-38-0, Usman Shinwari 4-0-31-3, Hussain Talat 1-0-14-0
PAKISTAN:
Fakhar Zaman c R Hendricks b B Hendricks 4
Babar Azam run out 38
Hussain Talat c B Hendricks b Shamsi 40
Shoaib Malik c Miller b Morris 49
Asif Ali c Miller b Morris 13
Imad Wasim c Miller b Shamsi 4
Faheem Ashraf c Klaasen b Phehlukwayo 8
Mohammad Rizwan run out 2
Hasan Ali c Miller b B Hendricks 11
Shadab Khan not out 7
Usman Shinwari not out 0
EXTRAS: (b1, lb2, w7) 10
TOTAL: (9 wkts; 20 overs) 186
FOW: 1-4, 2-85, 3-93, 4-113, 5-118, 6-144, 7-152, 8-164, 9-179
BOWLING: B Hendricks 4-0-40-2, C Dala 4-0-44-0, C Morris 4-0-39-2, A Phehlukwayo 4-0-27-1, T Shamsi 4-0-33-2
TOSS: Pakistan
UMPIRES: Bongani Jele, Adrian Holdstock
TV UMPIRE: Allahudien Paleker
MATCH REFEREE: Ranjan Madugalle