LIVE Pakistan vs South Africa Ball by Ball Commentary - SA in PAK 3 T20Is 2025

17.1Four!

16.6OUT! EDGED AND CAUGHT BEHIND! Corbin Bosch picks up his fourth, and Pakistan lose their ninth. On a hard length, angling in, around the fourth stump line. Naseem Shah backs away and tries to cut it, but the ball follows him. He ends up getting a thin outside edge off the handle of the bat, which goes behind the wickets. Quinton de Kock moves to his right a bit and pouches it around his knee.

16.5Hard length and outside off, punched down through cover point for a single by MN.

16.4Short of a length, angling in, around middle. Mohammad Nawaz gets cramped as the ball follows him. The ball hits the gloves of Nawaz and rolls down beside the pitch on the off side.

16.3Lands it full and outside off, does Bosch. Mohammad Nawaz makes a deep base in his crease and tries to slog it downtown but misses.

16.3WIDE! Short of a length but sliding down the leg side, Nawaz shuffles to pull but misses. Called a wide.

16.2On a hard length and around middle, Nawaz backs away and swings through the line but misses to connect.

16.1FOUR! THRASHED! Full and outside off, Mohammad Nawaz clears his front leg away and smashes it through the gap between extra cover and mid off for a boundary.

15.6Cramping up the batter, on a length and around off, Naseem only manages to push it back to the bowler.

15.5FOUR! Oh, nicely played! Touch shorter and outside off, Naseem Shah backs away and lofts it over extra cover for another boundary.

15.4FOUR! SHOT! On a length and outside off, Naseem Shah hangs back and punches it through covers. The fielder from sweeper cover runs across to his right and even dives, but fails to stop the ball from touching the ropes.

15.3On the fuller side and outside off, Naseem tries to swing downtown but misses.

15.2Angling in, on a length and around off, Naseem keeps it out to cover.

15.1BEATEN! On a length and outside off, Naseem Shah throws his hands at it and looks to cut it but gets beaten on the outside edge.

14.6Back of a length, on off, Shah punches it wide of extra cover for a single.

14.5On a hard length, on middle, Naseem punches it back to the bowler.

14.4OUT! CAUGHT AND BOWLED! Corbin Bosch, too, gets to his 3-fer. Bosch bangs it into the pitch. Short and on top of the stumps. It lands and climbs on the batter as Shaheen prepares to pull it away. But he ends up massively mishitting it. The ball pops off the sticker of the bat and Corbin Bosch takes a few steps forward to swallow an easy return catch. Absolutely undone for extra pace and bounce. Shaheen Afridi departs for 4 (5) and Pakistan are 109/8, needing 86 runs to win off 32 balls.

14.3Short and on the bodyline. Afridi backs away a bit to play the pull shot, but ends up hitting it off the bottom end to the bowler.

14.2FOUR! One bounce and into the fence! Full in length, just outside off. Shaheen Afridi clears the front foot out of the line of the ball and muscles it over mid off for a boundary.

14.1Back of a length, on off, Nawaz stands tall and punches it to extra cover for a single.

13.6Slams the deck hard, does Ngidi. A proper bouncer, on top of off. Shaheen Afridi leans back to play the ramp shot, but misses. 14 runs off this over and Lungi Ngidi finishes his spell with figures of 4-0-35-1. Pakistan need 91 runs to win from 36 balls.

13.5Attempts the wide yorker, outside off, Nawaz bends and squeezes it through backward point for an easy single.

13.4SIX! Now, that is a decent hit! Ngidi errs in length as he serves into the slot, on off. Mohammad Nawaz picks it up by finding the middle of the bat and deposits it straight down the ground for a cracking six. 100 UP FOR PAKISTAN IN 13.4 OVERS!

13.3Nagging length, outside off, Nawaz backs away to play the square cut on the off side, but misses as the ball passes over his angled bat.

13.2FOUR! Not timed well enough, but it races away! Back of a length, on the leg stump line. Mohammad Nawaz gets the ball high on the bat, but he still manages to find the fence with a cross-batted shot down to long on. Two fours in two balls for Nawaz.

13.1EDGED, FOUR! Fuller delivery, around the off pole. Mohammad Nawaz swings for the hills, but manages a thick outside edge. The ball flies over the leaping first slip fielder and races to the fence behind.

12.6Attacks the stumps, on a good length. Shaheen Afridi hangs deep in the crease and bunts it back to the bowler.

12.5OUT! IN THE AIR AND GONE! Wicket number 3 for Linde, and he has massively derailed Pakistan's progress, after being expensive in his first couple of overs. George lands it full and in front of the stumps. Faheem Ashraf tries to be a bit adventurous and switches his stance, attempting to reverse sweep, but gets a thick top edge. The ball flies straight towards backward point, where Lizaad Williams takes a comfortable catch after backtracking. Faheem Ashraf departs on 1 (3) and Pakistan are 89/7.

12.4Flatter ball, on off, Nawaz drives this down to long on for a single.

12.3On a length, on the pads, this is whipped to deep square leg for a single.

12.2Slider down the leg stump line, Faheem Ashraf misses to flick it away. Not given as a Wide according to the new Wide rule.

12.1OUT! STUMPED! The Proteas are bossing it up and how! Linde spots Usman stepping down the track and drags the length back, around off. Gets a good bit of grip as the ball spins away, and that totally outfoxes Usman, who tries to work it away. The ball beats the outside edge and is collected by Quinton de Kock, who breaks the stumps in a flash, with Khan not even trying to get back into the crease. Usman Khan departs for a run-a-ball 12, and the slide for Pakistan continues as they are 87/6, needing 108 to win off 47 balls.

11.6Hits the deck hard, on top of off. Usman Khan hops off and guides the ball to deep third for an easy single.

11.5Hard length, on off, arriving at the chest height of the batter. Mohammad Nawaz stands tall and punches it to mid off. Nandre Burger there fumbles to pick it up cleanly and parries the ball to his right. A single taken.

11.4Back of a length, outside off, Nawaz plays and misses.

11.3OUT! CLEANED HIM UP! It is going from bad to worse for Pakistan now. Ngidi hits the deck hard, keeping the line of attack on the off stump. The ball lands and skids off the track, hurrying Nawaz into the pull shot. He goes across the line for a big-booming shot over mid-wicket, but only manages to connect with a handful of air. The ball stays a bit low, sneaks past the inside edge and smashes into the stumps behind. Hasan Nawaz departs on 3 (4) and Pakistan are 85/5, still needing 110 runs to win off 51 balls.

11.2Ngidi slams the deck hard, onto the pads. Hasan Nawaz gets inside the line and tickles it to deep fine leg. Corbin Bosch from deep square leg runs and slides across to his right to cut it off. The replay also confirms that he has executed a clean job in the end, with no part of his body in contact with the boundary cushions.

11.1Nagging length, on top of middle. Hasan Nawaz bunts it on the pitch off the back foot.

10.6Fuller ball, on middle, Hasan clips it to deep mid-wicket for an easy single.

10.5OUT! IN THE AIR AND GONE! Linde strikes and strikes back strongly. Brave bowling, actually. He keeps bowling on the wider line, outside off, on a fuller length, forcing the batter to reach at it. Saim does exactly that by seeing some flight on offer. He tries to loft it inside out over cover, but finds no timing whatsoever, and ends up slicing it off the toe end. A simple catch for Donovan Ferreira stationed at extra cover. Smiles all around the Proteas camp as Ayub was just looking to find his timing right. Saim Ayub departs on 37 (28) and Pakistan are 82/4, needing 113 runs to win off 55 balls.

10.5WIDE! Pushed wide across the batter, on a length. Saim swings and misses. Wide called.

10.4SIX! PUNISHED! Linde darts it short and on top of off. Saim Ayub reads the length in a blink of an eye and pulls it massively over deep square leg for a huge six. He moves to 37 off 27 balls!

10.3Fuller one, on off, sliding into the batter. Usman Khan shimmies down the track and lofts it over mid off for a single.

10.2FOUR! Through the gap! Too full from Linde, around off. Usman Khan gets forward and smashes it through extra cover for a cracking boundary.

10.1Pushed on a fuller length, on off, Usman Khan first backs away to punch, but ends up dabbing it beside the pitch with soft hands.

9.6BAMBOZZLED! What a delivery! From wide of the crease, Burger bowls it on a hard length that comes in with the angle and then moves away from the batter, around the fourth stump line. Saim gets deceived as he tries to tuck it into the leg side but misses. Gets beaten on the outside edge, and Nandre has a smile on his face.

9.6WIDE AGAIN! A short delivery that goes over the head of the batter. Ayub leaves it. Another wide given.

9.6WIDE! Short of a length and down the leg side, Saim ducks underneath. Called a wide.

9.5On a hard length and around middle, angling in. Usman rises with the bounce and flicks it to deep backward square leg for one.

9.4Leg bye! Back of a length and around leg, Saim hops up and looks to tuck it, but misses. The ball gets deflected towards square leg off his back thigh pad. A leg bye is sneaked.

9.3FOUR! Deliberately played! On a length and well outside off, Saim Ayub gets across, remains deep in his crease and throws his hands at it. Uses the pace of the bowler and gets it sliced to the right of short third for a boundary.

9.2Lands it fuller and around off, does Burger. Usman prods forward and nudges it to deep square leg for one.

9.1On a length and around off, Saim rides the bounce and tucks it towards mid on for a single.

8.6Oh, that was close! Short and around off, Usman taps it beside the strip on the off side and sets off for a single, but Saim Ayub sends him back. The keeper, Quinton de Kock, quickly gets to the ball and fires a throw at the batting end but misses by a long, long way. Khan drags his bat to get inside the crease. Things could have been spicy if there had been a direct hit.

8.5On the shorter side and outside off, Usman goes deep in his crease and cuts it to the left of deep point for a couple of runs.

8.4Quicker and around off, Saim knocks it down to long on for a single.

8.3SIX MORE! Saim is opening up now! Full and around off, Ayub gets down on one knee and clubs it over the deep mid-wicket fence for another biggie.

8.2SIX! PUMPED! Flighted, full and in the slot, around off, Saim Ayub gets down and launches it over long on for a biggie.

8.1Begins with a shorter delivery, around off, Usman Khan presses back and nudges it to deep mid-wicket for one.

7.6BEAUTY! Pace and bounce on this occasion, on a length and outside off, Saim gets cramped as the ball follows him. He tries to cut but gets beaten on the inside edge.

7.5Back of a length and around off, Saim rides the bounce and wrists it to the left of the bowler.

7.4Moving away, on a length and outside off, Khan punches it to deep point for a single to open his account.

7.3BEATEN! On a length and outside off, Usman throws his hands at it to swing but misses.

7.2OUT! LBW! Corbin Bosch strikes again, and the Pakistani skipper walks back for just 2 (7). Bosch bowls a length delivery from wide of the crease, around off, getting it to angle in from there. Salman Agha shuffles across and tries to pick it up, but gets cramped and misses his shot. Gets beaten on the inside edge and gets rapped on his front pad. There goes a big appeal for LBW from Bosch and the keeper before the umpire raises his finger. However, Agha takes a review, citing that it could have gone over the stumps. There is nothing on the UltraEdge and the Ball Tracking presents three reds with the ball projected to hit the top of the middle stump. The on-field call is upheld. Pakistan burn the review, but more worryingly, slip down to 43/3.

7.1Slanting in, full and outside off, driven away to mid off by the Pakistani skipper off his front foot.

6.6On a length and outside off, Ayub remains deep in his crease and cuts it but finds the backward point fielder.

6.5Short of a length, angling in, around leg, Salman Agha presses back and tries to hook it but mistimes it off the inside half of the bat. Luckily for him, the ball lands well ahead of deep fine leg and they cross over for a single.

6.4At the hips, on a hard length, tucked away to the right of deep fine leg for a single by Ayub.

6.3SIX! TONKED! Finally, Saim has been able to hit the ball like he wanted! On a back of a length and around off, Saim Ayub presses back, gets on top of the bounce, and thrashes it over the deep mid-wicket fence for a biggie.

6.2BEATEN! Full and angling away, outside off, Saim tries to drive it on the up but gets beaten on the outside edge. Clearly, he is struggling.

6.1Lands it full and outside off, does Lizaad. Salman drives it towards cover where the fielder fumbles and concedes a single.

5.6Leg bye! Big shout for LBW but the umpire shakes his head. Full but angling down leg, Salman tries to flick it but misses. The ball gets deflected towards square leg off his front pad and they sneak a leg bye.

5.5Another hitting the deck hard delivery, around off, Agha uses his feet and dabs it down to cover. He wants to take a single but is sent back. The fielder picks it up to his left and scores a direct hit at the batting end. The third umpire is called in and it is NOT OUT as Salman has dragged his bat inside the crease in time.

5.4That has cut the batter in half! On a hard length, and a bit outside off, jagging back in. Salman tries to push at it but the ball stays a bit low and goes under his bat.

5.3OUT! TAKEN! Babar Azam's comeback doesn't last long. It was a nothing shot, actually, and he pays the price. On a back of a length and over the top of the off stump with some extra bounce. Babar opens up as he backs away and tries to loft it over covers. But due to extra bounce, he gets into an awkward position and mistimes his shot towards extra cover. Reeza Hendricks makes no mistake there, who pouches it comfortably. Babar Azam departs without troubling the scorers on a two-ball duck. Pakistan are 33/2 down now.

5.2Hard length and outside off, Saim rises with the bounce and cuts it to the left of deep backward point for a single. He is looking in extreme pressure.

5.1Back of a length, outside off, moving away. Saim Ayub presses back and goes deep in his crease. He looks to flash at first, but then leaves it, seeing the ball moving away.

4.6Hits the deck hard, does Williams, on the off stump line. Babar Azam punches it off the back foot to cover-point. Looks for a single to get off the mark, but is sent back by Ayub on a sharp call. Excellent over from Lizaad Williams. Concedes just 3 runs, with an important wicket.

4.6WIDE! Sprayed down the leg side, on a good length. Babar misses to flick. Wide called.

4.5OUT! BOWLED! Lizaad Williams provides the first breakthrough for South Africa. The pressure of the dot balls played by Saim clearly showed on Farhan as he tried to keep the tempo up. Lizaad bowls it on a fractionally fuller length, slanting the ball into the batter, with a bit of skid off the deck as well. Sahibzada Farhan exposes all the stumps by backing away and tries to smash it over cover-point, but misses to connect and the ball makes an absolute mess of the stumps behind. Sahibzada Farhan departs on 24 (19) and Pakistan are 31/1, needing 164 runs to win.

4.4Hard length, around off, Saim Ayub crunches it through point for a single.

4.3Another swing and a miss for Ayub! On a length, just outside off, staying low on the bounce. Saim Ayub shapes to pull it across the line, but misses to connect. Pressure mounting on Ayub as he is just 4 off 10 balls.

4.2Back of a length, angling into the batter. Farhan tucks off the back foot to the mid-wicket region for a single.

4.1Nice shot, but yields no run for Farhan! Fuller, around off, Sahibzada Farhan plays with a full face of the bat and drives it to pierce the cover and mid off gap, but the fielder from mid off runs and dives to his left to cut it off.

3.6Length ball, angling in from off. Saim Ayub mistimes the pull shot off the inner half of the bat, but clears mid-wicket. Dewald Brevis sprints full tilt from the inner ring and manages to flick the ball inside the playing area, before sliding into the ropes with the momentum. Saves two for his side.

3.5Back of a length, just outside off. Saim Ayub hangs back and attempts the cut, but gets beaten.

3.4Swing and a miss! Scratchy, still very scratchy, is Saim! Full, outside off, slanting away further. Saim Ayub does not properly get his weight transferred on the front foot and tries to smash it over mid off, but misses to connect.

3.3BEAUTY! Ayub had absolutely no idea about that one. Length ball, angling across the batter, nipping away late. Saim Ayub stays stationary in the crease and looks to flick across the line, but gets beaten on the outside edge.

3.2Fuller delivery, outside off, Sahibzada Farhan drives off the toe end, between mid off and extra cover for a single.

3.1Back of a length, outside off, dabbed off the back foot to backward point.

2.6Nandre slams the deck really hard, on middle and leg, angling in. Saim Ayub hops off and nudges it to mid-wicket. Just 7 from this over.

2.5Fuller ball, outside off, Sahibzada Farhan drives in front of mid off and steals a quick single. Good coordination between the two so far.

2.4On a hard length, around off, punched square on the off side for a single by Saim.

2.3Good length, on the stumps, heaved across to deep square leg for a single.

2.2An appeal for LBW, but not given. Only Burger looked interested in that one. Back of a length, skidding through from the leg stump line. Sahibzada Farhan is pinned in the crease and tries to block by dragging his bat forward. The ball beats the inside edge and thuds on the front thigh pad. Probably going over the stumps as the batter hopped to negotiate that delivery.

2.1FOUR! Belligerent! Short of a good length, on off. Sahibzada Farhan waits for it to arrive and smashes it up and over mid off for another boundary. Moves on to 20 off just 11, does Farhan.

1.6Fuller on the stumps, driven off the front foot to wide mid on for a single.

1.5EDGED, FOUR! Not exactly where he intended to hit, but he will take it. Back of a length, outside off, nipping away late. Sahibzada Farhan stands tall and swings with all his might to go downtown, but the ball flies off the top edge and goes over short third for a boundary.

1.4BEATEN! Pace on, skidding off the deck, on a good length, outside off. Farhan has a waft at it, but plays inside the line and is beaten on the outside edge.

1.3FOUR! And again! Pitched into the slot, full in length. Sahibzada Farhan lofts it over mid on for a boundary. Two in a row for Farhan.

1.2FOUR! Up and over! Fuller ball, on the stumps. Sahibzada Farhan picks it up and clears mid on for a boundary.

1.1Back of a length, around off, punched off the back foot to the point fielder.

0.6Oh, some spicy bounce on that one! Shapes away from a back of a length, outside off, Saim Ayub tries the back foot punch to the off side, but gets beaten by the pace and bounce. Phew! What a breathless opening over.

0.5Good length, on the stumps, Sahibzada Farhan dabs it to the point region for a single.

0.4IN THE AIR AND DROPPED! Matthew Breetzke shells a huge chance in the deep! On a good length, outside off, Saim leans back and cuts it uppishly over point. Matthew Breetzke from deep backward point gets across to his left and crouches low to take it with both hands, but ends up putting it down. Seemingly, the ball dipped in front of him, but that should have been taken by all standards. A single taken. A huge life for Saim Ayub, who gets off the mark.

0.3Misses out on the Free Hit! Back of a length, outside off, Saim Ayub shapes to play the pull shot but misses as the ball bounces off the track.

0.3Uh, oh! Nandre Burger has overstepped! Back of a length, nipping in from off, Sahibzada Farhan misses to connect and the ball goes off the thigh pad and rolls to the point region. No Ball called. Free Hit to follow...

0.2Nagging length, on top of off, Sahibzada Farhan bunts it down the pitch off the back foot.

0.1Pakistan and Farhan are up and running! Short of a length from Burger, on off. Sahibzada Farhan hops off in the crease and crisply punches it to deep point for a couple of runs, as there is protection in the deep in the form of Tony de Zorzi, who cuts it off.