Sana’s all-round heroics go in vain as South Africa down Pakistan in a thriller

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LAHORE: Captain Fatima Sana’s heroic all-round act involving 55 not out with the bat and 3-16 with the ball went in vain as South Africa edged past Pakistan by two wickets in their ICC T20 World Cup game at Edgbaston, Birmingham, on Wednesday.
South Africa chased the 127-run target with 19 balls to spare after losing eight wickets in the process.
Pakistan will now take on Bangladesh at the Hampshire Bowl in Southampton on Saturday.
Skipper Fatima kept South Africa on the leash across both the innings as she united with Tuba Hassan for a record ninth-wicket 71-run stand to lead Pakistan to a competitive total. Later she removed Sune Luus, Nadine de Klerk and Sinalo Jafta to become first captain to score a fifty and take three wickets in the same match across all 10 ICC Women’s T20 World Cups.
Chasing 127, South Africa were at one stage 76 for two as Annerie Dercksen struck 52 off 35 balls including seven fours and two sixes. Fatima drew the first blood in the second over, while Tuba snapped Laura Wolvaardt in the seventh over.
With Marizanne Kapp (10) and Dercksen putting on a 23-run stand and threatened to take the game away, Nashra got the former stumped out while Tuba bowled the set-batter Dercksen.
From there, Pakistan kept chipping away to drag the contest closer as Sadia Iqbal struck twice in the middle overs. She got rid of Chloe Tryon caught behind in 13th over and Kayla Reyneke held by Fatima in 15th over to reduce South Africa to 107 for six.
With South Africa requiring two to win, Fatima bowled Jafta with the total on 125 for seven before getting Nadine de Klerk (37, 28b, 6x4s) caught behind.
Earlier, Pakistan were reduced to 14 for four inside the fourth over after Marizanne Kapp removed both opening batters in the first over striking thrice in the powerplay.
Three run-outs compounded the damage as Pakistan slipped to 50 for eight inside 11 overs. From there, Fatima and Tuba (23, 27b, 2x4s) added 71 for the ninth wicket — the highest ninth-wicket partnership in ICC Women’s T20 World Cup history and the second highest in Women’s T20I’s.
Fatima’s 55 not out off 38 balls comprising six fours also involved two sixes, which she hit on consecutive balls in the last over off de Klerk to bring up her third WT20I fifty off 35 balls. She registered the highest score by a player batting at no.8 or lower in ICC Women’s T20 World Cups.

Summarised scores
Pakistan 126-9, 20 overs (Fatima Sana 55 not out, Tuba Hassan 23; Marizanne Kapp 3-23)
South Africa 127-8, 16.5 overs (Annerie Dercksen 52, Nadine de Klerk 37; Fatima Sana 3-16, Sadia Iqbal 2-26, Tuba Hassan 2-28)
Player of the match: Annerie Dercksen (South Africa)
Pakistan’s fixtures
14 June – India beat Pakistan by 64 runs
17 June – South Africa beat Pakistan by two wickets
20 June v Bangladesh, Hampshire Bowl, Southampton – 6.30pm PKT | 2.30pm local time
23 June v Australia, Headingley, Leeds – 10.30pm PKT | 6.30pm local time
27 June v Netherlands, Bristol County Ground, Bristol – 2.30pm PKT | 10.30am local time