Linde the star as SA canter to series-levelling win

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Markram continues to impress at the top for the hosts, hitting his second fifty on the trot
News Desk
Islamabad
South Africa beat Pakistan after hitting the 140-run target in the second T20I at the Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg.
South Africa’s Aiden Markram hit 54 runs in 30 balls, skipper Heinrich Klaasen scored 36, and George Linde hit 20 runs, helping the Proteas level the series 1-1.
Pakistani bowlers were hapless against South Africa batters as they managed to pick up just four wickets. Usman Qadir managed a pair of wickets while Hasan Ali and Mohammad Hasnain took a wicket each.
Pakistan reached a measly 140 for 9, courtesy Babar Azam’s 50 off 50 balls and Mohammad Hafeez’s 32 off 23. However, the rest of the batting lineup failed to produce many runs.
George Linde did the big damage in the Powerplay before Lizaad Williams, Sisanda Magala, and Tabraiz Shamsi joined in later on.
In the last game, Pakistan beat South Africa by four wickets in an exciting first match of the four-match series at Johannesburg in the penultimate over of the game.
They reached a target of 189 with just one ball to spare. It was also Pakistan’s 100th win in the shortest format of the game.
Man-of-the-match Mohammad Rizwan led Pakistan to victory with his unbeaten 74, comprising two sixes and nine fours.
Pakistan will be hoping that their middle-order gets firing in this game and sees Mohammad Hafeez among the runs.
The Pakistani bowling attack will be seeking to hit the right lengths after they failed to impress in the first game.
South Africa are missing several of their regular players and, in the last game, handed a debut to three players — Wihan Lubbe, Sisanda Magala, and Lizaad Williams.
Five key players from the Proteas squad — Quinton de Kock, David Miller, Anrich Nortje, Kagiso Rabada, and Lungi Ngidi — departed for the Indian Premier League. Apart from their departure, the Proteas have also lost their regular limited-overs captain Temba Bavuma and their highest run-scorer of the ODI series Rassie van der Dussen.