The primary T20I between Pakistan and South Africa at Kingsmead Stadium, Durban on Tuesday (December 10) was a rollercoaster of feelings, filled with drama and excessive stakes. On the focal point was Pakistan’s captain, Mohammad Rizwan, whose 74-run knock grew to become the point of interest of post-match discussions. Whereas his innings featured moments of brilliance, it was overshadowed by his overly cautious strategy, which performed a pivotal function in Pakistan’s 11-run defeat throughout their pursuit of a difficult 184-run goal.
Mohammad Rizwan’s ultra-conservative begin
Pakistan’s chase bought off to a rocky begin with the early dismissal of Babar Azam for a duck. As captain and opener, Rizwan shouldered the accountability of anchoring the innings however adopted an excessively conservative technique. His strategy noticed him take 50 balls to achieve his half-century, an unusually gradual tempo in T20 cricket.
This cautious begin allowed South Africa to tighten their grip on the match because the required run price soared to daunting ranges. By the sixteenth over, Pakistan wanted over 15 runs per over, and Rizwan, scoring under a run a ball till then, had contributed solely two boundaries because the powerplay. The shortcoming to take care of momentum left Pakistan struggling to maintain up with the demanding chase.
A late burst of brilliance
Rizwan did try to salvage the innings within the seventeenth over, smashing two towering sixes off Kwena Maphaka and gathering 24 runs. Nonetheless, by then, the injury was already executed. South Africa’s George Linde responded with a match-turning 18th over, dismissing key batters and breaking Pakistan’s resistance. Linde’s distinctive spell of 4-21, coupled together with his earlier 48 off simply 24 balls, underscored his all-round dominance within the match. Regardless of Rizwan’s late flurry, together with three boundaries within the penultimate over, Pakistan couldn’t bridge the hole. Rizwan was dismissed within the closing over after a painstaking 74 off 62 deliveries, and Pakistan in the end fell quick by 11 runs.
Additionally READ: SA vs PAK 2024: Mohammed Rizwan’s knock in useless as George Linde seals the win for South Africa in 1st T20I
South Africa’s dominance towards Pakistan
South Africa’s victory was constructed on the heroics of David Miller and Linde. Miller’s explosive 82 off 40 balls, that includes eight huge sixes, laid the inspiration for a formidable whole of 183/9. Linde’s contributions with each bat and ball had been equally impactful, cementing his standing because the match-winner. The Proteas’ disciplined bowling assault complemented their aggressive batting, making certain that Pakistan by no means gained the higher hand regardless of a number of moments of brilliance from Rizwan.
Right here’s how followers reacted:
Babar and Rizwan enjoying does not imply you needed to flip up like this. pic.twitter.com/yZJjP1Nut9
— psyf (@PsyfeR888) December 10, 2024
Rizwan began his performing abilities after scoring the slowest Fifty in T20Is 😹 pic.twitter.com/9bAp2zG8Pk
— Dinda Academy (@academy_dinda) December 10, 2024
#SAvsPAK Mohammad Rizwan 🤡 pic.twitter.com/F7shouXUUd
— 𝗠𝗲𝗺𝗲 𝗔𝗱𝗱𝗶𝗰𝘁 (@DilSeMemes) December 10, 2024
SA bowlers to rizwan by letting him rating: pic.twitter.com/wnvniSqGkL
— c (@gayomarlic) December 10, 2024
Think about supporting a staff Mohammad Rizwan performs for(Technically he does not) however you gotta really feel dangerous for real PCT followers pic.twitter.com/cZffZ8Su7E
— Pallavi (@Pallavi_paul21) December 10, 2024
Correct 2017-19 Dhoni tribute knock from Rizwan there, spend 80% of the innings placing the required run price effectively past attain on your staff, then crash some meaningless boundaries in the previous few overs when the match is misplaced.
— Adam Sutherland (@AdamSants_) December 10, 2024
I can not consider how Pakistan cricket tolerates Rizwan in T20Is. Their cricket board deserves 2% further share in ICC revenues for giving different groups a bonus.
— Foolish Level (@FarziCricketer) December 10, 2024
Disgrace on us
Disgrace on pct
This man is the captain of our t20 staff
🤌🏻I can guess, an unfit Fakhar is significantly better than this match Rizwan the actor
#PakistanCricket pic.twitter.com/urgv9XZwEb
— Urwa Shahzeen🇵🇰🇵🇸 (@urwa_shahzeen) December 10, 2024
Rizwan is probably the most egocentric cricketer to ever play the sport. Unreal shameless this man is.
— Jitender Singh (@j_dhillon8) December 10, 2024
If Pakistan, as a nation, has any vanity left, Rizwan will likely be greeted with rotten eggs & tomatoes at Karachi airport on his return
— Akif (@keepyocoolakif) December 10, 2024
Pakistan has had an all time dogshit T20 12 months they usually’ve ended the 12 months with Rizwan Babar opening lmao
— Random Cricket Stats (@randomcricstat) December 10, 2024
If Rizwan shouldn’t be dropped completely from this format after this innings then we, as a nation, have failed.
— Abdullah (@michaelscottfc) December 10, 2024
Years of watching Rizwan bat, and nonetheless each time you watch him, he makes you neglect there’s an ‘off facet’ that additionally exists in cricket. #SAvPAK
— Peeyush Sharma (@peeyushsharmaa) December 10, 2024
Jo T20 staff aj bhi Babar-Rizwan jaise ghocu openers okay sath khelti h wo harna hello deserve krti h
— Shivani Shukla (@iShivani_Shukla) December 10, 2024
