Pakistan Opt to Bowl In 3rd T20 as Afridi Returns & Tariq Makes T20I Debut

The Gaddafi Stadium buzzed under the Lahore lights as Pakistan won the toss and chose to bowl in the final T20I against South Africa on Saturday. With the series tied up till now, Salman Ali Agha’s men aimed to finish strong and test a few fresh combinations before shifting focus to the ODIs. 

Shaheen Shah Afridi’s return drew the loudest cheer of the night. The left-arm quick, rested earlier in the series, came back to lead the attack with his trademark energy. Youngster Usman Tariq also got his cap, adding variety to Pakistan’s spin department. Naseem Shah and Abrar Ahmed are both given the night off. 

South Africa, searching for a consolation win, shook things up too. Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Andile Simelane, and Lizaad Williams joined the playing XI as the tourists looked to fix their batting rhythm after two forgettable outings. Tony de Zorzi, Lungi Ngidi, and Nandre Burger sat out. 

The surface looked hard and glossy, which is perfect for stroke play once the shine wears off. But with Afridi steaming in under lights, Pakistan’s call to bowl first looked spot on. A bit of swing early on could set the tone, and that’s exactly what the home crowd came to see. 

Both teams carried different motivations into this game. Pakistan wants to underline its dominance; South Africa also wants to fight back. Either way, the toss has set the mood, and the night promised some lively cricket in Lahore. 

Pakistan Playing XI: 

Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Babar Azam, Salman Ali Agha (c), Usman Khan (wk), Hasan Nawaz, Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Salman Mirza, Shaheen Afridi, and Usman Tariq.

South Africa Playing XI: 

Quinton de Kock (wk), Reeza Hendricks, Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Dewald Brevis, Matthew Breetzke, Donovan Ferreira (c), George Linde, Corbin Bosch, Andile Simelane, Lizaad Williams, and Ottneil Baartman.