- By Gurmeet Batra
- Wed, 29 Oct 2025 07:41 AM (IST)
- Source:JND
South Africa National Cricket Team vs Pakistan National Cricket Team Match Scorecard: Former captain Babar Azam endured a nightmare comeback as his side was handed a thumping 55-run defeat by South Africa in the first T20I as George Linde starred with both bat and ball at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium in Rawalpindi on Tuesday.
To his and the fans' nightmare, the batter was sent packing for a duck in front of a dissatisfied home crowd.
After being sent in to bat, Reeza Hendricks struck 60 from 40 balls and George Linde slammed a power-packed 36 to take South Africa's total to a formidable 194 for 9 in their 20 overs.
Corbin Bosch's career-best 4-14 derailed Pakistan's reply as the hosts were bundled out for 139, handing South Africa a 1–0 lead in the three-match series.
Hendricks and opener Quinton de Kock (23 from 13 balls) brought their side off to a brisk start, before debutant Tony de Zorzi struck a quickfire 33 from 16 deliveries and all-rounder George Linde 36 from 22.
For Pakistan, left-arm spinner Mohammad Nawaz was the pick of the bowlers as he finished with figures of 3-26 in four overs.
In reply, Pakistan only conjured up 139 all courtesy of Saim Ayub's 37 from 28 balls at the top of the order. The most awaited batter, Babar Azam, making his return to T20 international since December last year, did not survive against Proteas pacers as he handed a catch to Hendricks at cover off Bosch for a two-ball duck.
South Africa spinner Linde was the pick of the bowlers for the Proteas as he returned with a figure of 3-31.
