Fatima Sana’s heroics in vain as South Africa edge Pakistan

Fatima Sana battled hard with a 38-ball 55* and a 3-16 but her teammates couldn't quite complement her efforts as Pakistan fell to a two-wicket defeat against South Africa in Birmingham. South Africa's No.3 batter Annerie Dercksen scored a half-century to put her team on course, but the win came only after a stutter that saw the chasing side lose eight wickets.

As their top-order was torn apart early on, Pakistan were pushed to the limit. Marizanne Kapp, who won the night as the best bowler for South Africa, took Muneeba Ali out on the first ball of the game and struck twice more quickly after. Pakistan were down to 29/5 inside the Powerplay when four more batters, Gull Feroza, Ayesha Zafar, Natalia Pervaiz, and Rameen Shamim, gave up single-digit runs.

They remained in doldrums in the next phase too, as 29/5 soon became 50/8 in the 11th over. Sana watched helplessly as batters came and went, until Tuba Hassan arrived at No.10 to show a modicum of a fight. Together with her captain, she remained steadfast until the very last over as they completed a 71-run stand off 54 deliveries. Sana got to a half-century but Pakistan still managed just 126/9 in 20 overs - an innings riddled with collapse and chaos, as four batters were run out.

Sana however, hadn't given up yet. She struck in the second over to bowl out Sune Luus. South Africa got to 20/1 in the first four overs, making for a nervous start. But Annerie Dercksen used Shamim's over in the fifth as a launch pad for the chase, tonking three fours and a six in a 21-run over. With 48/1 on the board, South Africa exited the Powerplay with a firm footing in the pitiful chase.

Hassan and Sana demonstrated once more that this Pakistan team has more grit. She arrived in the seventh over to send Laura Woldvaardt packing with her leg-break. But Dercksen carried on regardless, getting to a 32-ball fifty in the 10th over. However, Nashra Sidhu left Kapp stumped in the same over, and Hassan scored an over by cleaning up Dercksen later.

From 76/4, Nadine de Klerk spearheaded the rest of the chase, while navigating past choppy waters. She had to anchor three short but crucial partnerships as Pakistan tried to make late inroads to put South Africa's chase in disarray. De Klerk first added 17 with Chloe Tyron, who was dismissed by Sadia Iqbal in the 13th over. She then put together 14 with Kayla Reyneke and 18 with Sinalo Jafta to keep the chase afloat amidst Pakistan's resurgence. Sana came back for two big breakthroughs: she struck out Jafta in the first over to end the 18-run stand and stop de Klerk's fight in the 17th over. However, by that time, de Klerk had achieved reconciliation. Sana bowled Ayabonga Khaka a wide that secured South Africa's victory.