Reeza slams Proteas to T20I series win over Pakistan

Proteas opener Reeza Hendricks slammed a stunning century to hammer his side to an impressive seven wicket win in an entertaining batting dominated encounter against Pakistan at SuperSport Park in Centurion on Friday night.

The result sealed a series win over the visitors with a game to go at the Wanderers in Johannesburg on Saturday night, after they picked up an 11-run win in the opener in Durban on Tuesday.

In Centurion Pakistan won the toss and batted first, cruising to a big total of 206/5 in their 20 overs, but it was all for nought as opener Hendricks launched 10 sixes and seven fours in a fantastic 117 off 63 balls to set his side up for the win.

It was a brilliant match winning 157-run third wicket partnership with Rassie van der Dussen, 66 not out off 38 balls (3×4; 5×6) that proved the difference in the match.

“I am quite pleased to get to three figures, it’s been a while since I reached that milestone. So really nice to contribute and get the team over the line in a way. It’s been a while since we won a (T20I) series, so it’s been a very special night,” said Hendricks after the match.

“It was a tough start. Five dot balls in the first over, but once I got that (the ball) away things started to click. I found the middle and things worked out in the end.

“I obviously play with Rassie at the Lions, so we kind of know each other. The team needed a massive partnership at that time and he played an unbelievable knock himself.”

The chase

The Proteas chase got off to a poor start as Ryan Rickelton (2) edged Jahandad Khan to keeper Mohammad Rizwan in the second over, with the score 6/1.

Matthew Breetzke (12) struck a four and a six before sending a ball from Khan straight to Shaheen Shah Afridi at mid-on, leaving them on 28/2 after four overs.

But it then became the Hendricks and Van Der Dussen show as they took centre stage with their amazing stand to get their side to the brink.

Hendricks reached his landmark scores in style, getting to 50 with a slog over midwicket for six off Abbas Afridi, while he reached his century with another six over midwicket, this time off Haris Rauf, before he fell in the 18^th over, mistiming a pull to deep midwicket off Afridi, with the score 185/3.

Heinrich Klaasen (8no) accompanied Van Der Dussen to the win, with him pulling a six over deep square leg to finish aptly with three balls to spare.

The Pakistan innings was dominated by opener Saib Ayub as he powered his way to an unbeaten 98 off 57 balls, hitting 11 fours and five sixes along the way.

He featured in two big partnerships, of 87 for the second wicket with Babar Azam, 31 off 20 (3×4; 1×6) and 72 for the fifth wicket with Irfan Khan, 30 off 16 (3×4; 2×6), to help them get over the 200-run mark.

Allrounder Dayyaan Galiem, on his Proteas debut, was the pick of the bowlers with an impressive 2/21 in his four overs, while George Linde, 1/28 was tidy, and Ottneil Baartman, 2/51, snared a couple but was expensive.