Hasan Ali, who was making his comeback to T20 cricket, hit 20 off just seven deliveries to help Pakistan chase down 165 and beat South Africa in the third and final T20I at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. This also meant that one of the finest T20I knocks while playing with the tail from David Miller, who hit a 45 ball 85, also went in vain.
With this victory, the Babar Azam led side also won the series 2-1 to back their 2-0 drubbing of the Proteas in the Tests. With this win, Pakistan also reached the landmark of 100 T20I wins, becoming the first team to achieve this feat.
The new opening pair of Haider Ali and Rizwan Ahmed started the innings, different from the last two matches where Babar opened with Rizwan. They went cautiously at the start and built a 51 run partnership to lay a solid foundation for the chase. But once Haider Ali got out, Rizwana and Talat Hussain followed him.
It came down to Babar Azam and experienced Asif Ali. Ali too disappointed as the chinaman Tabraiz Shamsi ran through the middle order and put Pakistan on the verge of a defeat. He ended his spell with figures of 4-25.
The defeat started staring the Men in Green in the face when Babar was castled by Dwaine Pretorius. Faheem Ashraf too went out playing a not required shot. At 137-6, Pakistan had two bowling all-rounders in Mohammad Nawaz and Ali at the crease with 28 needed from the last three overs.
Nawaz hit Pretorius for two fours in the 18th over and together they took 12 runs from that over to bring the equation down to 16 from 12. Andile Phehlukwayo then bowled the worst over of the match, getting hit for a waist-high no-ball. The equation came down 9 from 11 and then a wide, a four and a six sealed the deal for Pakistan.
Nawaz for his brilliant bowling and a crucial batting performance was awarded Man of the Match.
Earlier in the evening, Pakistan won the toss for the first time in the series and bowling first dismantled the Proteas batting lineup. While Nawaz got rid of Reeza Hendricks and JJ Smuts, debutant Zahid Mahmood took three wickets and showcased the amount of talent that he has.
Wickets kept on falling as South Africa reeled at 65-7 at one stage. It was then that Miller decided enough was enough and started playing his shots. He had a 41 run stand with Bjorn Fortuin and then added unbeaten 58 in just 29 balls with Lutho Sipamla. Miller hit seven sixes and five fours in his innings and collected 25 runs off the last over to give South Africa a fighting total.
Mohammad Rizwan who hit 197 runs in three innings alongside a hundred and a fifty was adjudged Man of the Series.