Winner | Margin | Opposition | Ground | Host |
Pakistan | 7 runs | South Africa | Trent Bridge | England |
Pakistan | 11 runs | South Africa | Gros Islet | West Indies |
Pakistan | 2 wickets | South Africa | R. Premadasa | Sri Lanka |
Pakistan | 33 runs | South Africa | Sydney | Australia |
The Pakistani cricket team has enjoyed a considerable amount of success against South Africa in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. The 2009 World Champions have battled the Proteas four times over the course of the last eight editions of the World Cup and have managed to come out on top on each and every occasion.
Their first meeting took place during the semi-final of the 2009 T20 WC, where Shahid Afridi stole the show through an all-round display. The spin-bowling all-rounder scored a devastating 34-ball 51 before claiming two wickets for 16 runs to punch his side’s ticket to the final at Lord’s.
Ten months later, Pakistan once again got the better of the Proteas. Riding on Umar Akmal's 33-ball 51 and Afridi’s 18-ball 30, the then world champions racked up 7/148 in 20 overs. The total proved to be more than enough as Saeed Ajmal dismantled South Africa’s batting-unit with a four-wicket-haul.
The next match (Colombo 2012) between these two teams proved to be a thriller, as Pakistan stuttered in their run-chase of 134. However, Umar Akmal’s solid 41-ball 43 and a quick-fire 17-ball 32 from Umar Gul sealed the deal for their team as the Pakistanis scrapped home in the final over.
It took a decade for Pakistan and South Africa to again lock horns in the T20 World Cup. However, just like the previous three encounters, Pakistan once again came out on top.
Batting first, Pakistan racked up 9/185, thanks to a sensational 22-ball 52 by Shadab Khan, a 35-ball 51 from Iftikhar Ahmed and an impactful 11-ball 28 by Mohammad Haris. The total proved to be more than enough as the Proteas could only muster 108 runs (14 overs; target- 142) in a rain-affected encounter. Shadab also chipped in with two wickets and was awarded the Player of the Match.