Wolvaardt’s 72 in vain as Pakistan win third T20 to take series 3-0

Laura Wolvaardt recorded her best score in the shortest format as the Proteas Women fell short in the third T20 against Pakistan, with the host nation sealing a 3-0 series clean sweep with a six-run victory at the National Stadium in Karachi on Monday night.

Wolvaardt dispatched nine fours en route to a career-best 72 off 54 deliveries in South Africa’s unsuccessful chase of Pakistan’s 150/5 after the home side’s top-order featuring Sidra Ameen (39), Bismah Maroof (39) and Nida Dar (36) set the platform for the triumph.

Explosive batting

After winning the toss and electing to bowl first, the Proteas restricted the hosts to 41/0 in the powerplay before Nonkululeko Mlaba (1/24) made the breakthrough to dismiss Shawaal Zulfiqar (18) with a caught and bowled in the seventh over.

Despite losing her opening partner, Ameen combined to great effect with Maroof to put together a 49-run partnership for the second wicket before Nondumiso Shangase (1/25) picked up her first wicket in her return match since September 2021 to remove the in-form Ameen to leave Pakistan 90/2 in the 13th over.

In the last seven overs of the innings, the home side, through their explosive captain Dar, put the visiting bowlers under pressure as the all-rounder smashed five fours and a six to help Pakistan post their third score of 150 or more to finish on 150/5 in their allotted 20 overs.

Tumi Sekhukhune’s return of two for 24 was South Africa’s leading figures with ball in hand.

Proteas struggles

In their chase, the Proteas got off to another promising start through Tazmin Brits (18) and Wolvaardt before the former was beaten by Nashra Sandhu’s (2/16) spin in the fourth over. Four overs later, Sandhu made another important breakthrough as she dismissed Anneke Bosch (10) caught and bowled before the away side reached 73/2 at the halfway mark.

As South Africa looked to kick on in the middle, Wolvaardt led from the front and brought up her eighth half-century of her career before Pakistan picked up a further two wickets, dismissing Suné Luus (13) as well as Wolvaardt through Sadia Iqbal (2/25) to leave the Proteas facing an uphill battle on 133/4 after 18.3 overs.

In an attempt to rescue the result, all-rounder Nadine de Klerk added a further 22 runs on the scoreboard before the away side fell six runs short of Pakistan’s total, with South Africa restricted to 144/5 to help the home side secure their first-ever series whitewash against the Proteas.

The Proteas Women’s tour to Pakistan will resume on Friday with the first of three One-Day Internationals.