PAK vs SA Live Score

7:09 PM IST Earlier in the game, Pakistan asked the Proteas to bat first, but their pacers were taken apart by the openers, Quinton de Kock and Reeza Hendricks. At 74/1 after the Powerplay, South Africa were well on course for a huge total on a batting-friendly Pindi wicket. But in came Mohammad Nawaz with his spell of brilliance. Runs were choked in the middle overs, with him striking a fabulous 3-fer. However, with a late cameo from George Linde, South Africa did manage to post 194 on the board. Spin operated with control for Pakistan, as Saim Ayub's golden arm partnered with Nawaz's brilliance for a couple of wickets. But the pacers, including Naseem Shah and Shaheen Afridi, proved to be very expensive.

7:07 PM IST The perennial albatross around Pakistan's neck in T20I cricket remains their staggering dot ball consumption. Their chronic inability to manipulate the strike systematically strangles momentum and heaps unbearable pressure upon the middle order. They've supposedly embraced aggressive intent, yet this systemic flaw keeps resurfacing like a bad habit they can't shake off.  A word of appreciation about Mohammad Nawaz though. He has become a much-improved all-rounder in recent times, and that showed in this game. A three-wicket haul showcased his bowling prowess, followed by a quickfire 36 that injected fleeting hopes. Ultimately futile, perhaps, but his dual contributions stood as rare bright spots in an otherwise dismal collapse.

6:59 PM IST Well then, a bruising defeat for Pakistan in front of their own faithful, and the sting cuts deeper. This marks just their third T20I loss at Rawalpindi. South Africa played a near-perfect game of cricket and would aim to carry forward the momentum ahead in the series. From Rawalpindi, the two teams will travel to the city of Lahore for the second T20I at the famous Gaddafi Stadium. That game will be played on Friday, 31st October and the first ball is scheduled to be bowled at 3 pm GMT. Do make sure to join us an hour earlier for the pre-match buzz and exciting analysis. Until then, take care, cheers!

6:55 PM IST The victorious skipper of South Africa, Donovan Ferreira, beams with pride after his team’s clinical all-round display. Says that he is very proud of the effort, and it was a collective performance. Credits the strong powerplay batting for setting the tone and applauds George Linde’s finishing burst that pushed them to a strong total. Talking about their bowling plans, Donovan says that they kept it simple and aimed to bowl at the top of off, nothing fancy. Praises how the new faces grabbed their opportunities, adding that when senior players are rested, it’s great to see youngsters step up and perform with intent. On the batting front, he highlights Reeza Hendricks’ calm and composed innings, which anchored the team and gave Linde the freedom to go big at the end. Also gives special mention to Corbin Bosch, saying he brought great energy with the ball. Normally, he goes for yorkers, but today he hit the deck hard and made things happen. Four wickets is an amazing effort.

6:53 PM IST The captain of Pakistan, Salman Agha, reflects on the defeat. He begins by admitting that they didn't start with the ball, but says that they pulled things back nicely in the middle overs. On the batting approach, he critically stresses that they need to bat properly and rotate the strike to build partnerships in the middle overs. Admits that they are currently not doing well in this regard and are losing too many wickets in that phase. He also concedes that they didn't bowl well overall, as hitting the top of off would have been a good option.

6:50 PM IST South Africa's George Linde is adjudged the PLAYER OF THE MATCH for his impressive all-around performance. He humbly admits that he doesn’t think he deserves the award, saying Corbin Bosch and Reeza Hendricks truly set up the game for South Africa and deserve the credit. Explains that his batting role is to finish games, and he’s just glad he managed to pull it off this time. With the ball, he says that he knew what he wanted to do early on but couldn’t quite execute; later, he focused on staying calm and sticking to his plans, which made the difference. Looking ahead, Linde says that he’s excited for the next game in Lahore, calling it an awesome venue. He expects Pakistan to come hard in front of their home crowd in the next match, but confidently adds that South Africa will be ready for the challenge.