Fatima Sana's 90 in vain as South Africa clinch thriller in 1st T20I

South Africa's collective batting performance, led by skipper Laura Wolvaardt's half-century, overshadowed her counterpart Fatima Sana's career-best knock as the hosts secured a 5-wicket win over Pakistan in a nail-biting first T20I at Senwes Park in Potchefstroom. Sana led Pakistan's comeback after being reduced to 64 for 6 at one point with a 41-ball 90, including seven sixes, as the visitors posted a challenging 180/9 score. But South Africa got over the line off the last ball, with Wolvaardt (61 off 38), Sune Luus (32 off 20) and Kayla Reyneke (29* off 16) being the leading scorers for the home team. It was a fine all-round show from Reyneke, who finished with excellent figures of 2 for 13 in four overs, including a maiden, after Pakistan opted to bat. Gull Feroza and Natalia Pervaiz were both bowled out by Reyneke in the first half of Pakistan's innings, and Ayanda Hlubi and Nonkululeko Mlaba were also causing havoc from the other end. Sana, who entered the game after the sixth wicket fell in the tenth over, launched a counterattack that lasted until the innings's final ball. In the second half of the innings, Mlaba's 19-run 16th over, Hlubi's 21-run 17th over, and Ayabonga Khaka's 19-run 19th over were some of the big overs. Sana's knock, which included nine fours in addition to her six-hit barrage, helped Pakistan reach a respectable total. Tazmin Brits got South Africa's chase off to a good start, scoring a few boundaries before losing to Humna Bilal in the fourth over. After that, Wolvaardt and Luus took over, putting together a quick 62-run stand. Wolvaardt continued the attack, propelling South Africa to 102 for 2 after 10 overs, despite Luus's 32-run loss to Nashra Sandhu. Before Pakistan made a comeback with the ball, Wolvaardt scored a fifty off Umm-e-Hani with 31 balls, sixes, and fours in the 13th over. Wolvaardt was out stumped off Sandhu while Dane van Niekerk and Lara Goodall fell in quick succession. South Africa were 153/5 at the end of the 17th over, requiring 28 more. Reyneke and Sana each hit sixes off Ayesha Zafar to make it 10 off the final over. In the final over, Bilal gave up six runs off her first three balls, including a boundary by Reyneke, who hit a six off the last ball with South Africa needing two.