UPDATE: Markram, Malan help Proteas post big total

Proteas fans were purring with delight on Wednesday as openers Aiden Markram and Janneman Malan slipped into top gear and led South Africa to a commanding total of 203 for five in the third T20 International against Pakistan at SuperSport Park in Centurion.

Markram and Malan are arguably the Proteas’ second-choice opening pair after Quinton de Kock and Temba Bavuma, but they batted magnificently in their opening stand of 108 off just 65 balls, both making career-best scores.

Markram, who was only a late inclusion in the T20 squad after Bavuma tore a hamstring in the ODI series, became just the second South African batsman after Hashim Amla in 2016 to score three successive fifties in T20 cricket as he plundered 63 off just 31 deliveries with four sixes. He has proven in this series that he can do the power-opener job as well as anyone.

Malan went on to hammer 55 off 40 balls, also doing a fine job for the team as he batted through to the 15^th over. Both openers played mostly classical strokes with exceptional timing, but they also both improvised superbly.

Left-arm spinner Mohammad Nawaz (2-38) removed both openers but George Linde, promoted up the order, brought some x-factor batting as he belted 22 off 11 deliveries and the returning Rassie van der Dussen scored an explosive 34 not out off 20 balls to finish the innings well.

South Africa’s total was their best ever against Pakistan, beating the 192 for six they made at Newlands in 2018/19.