CAPE TOWN – The Proteas Women's team closed off the T20I series on a disappointing note with Pakistan finally overcoming the hosts at Kingsmead on Wednesday.
The visitors', though, needed the assistance of the weather as persistent showers brought proceedings to a premature end with South Africa on 68/4 after 12.3 overs in pursuit of Pakistan's 127/6.
The players were not able to get back on the field unfortunately and South Africa fell short by eight runs on the Duckworth/Lewis method.
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Pakistan's Achilles heel throughout their tour of South Africa has been their inability to get their innings off to a good start.
They finally found two batters capable of providing a much-needed platform in returning captain Javeria Khan and Ayesha Zafar. The visitors have sorely missed their skipper's presence in the T20 series after a finger injury sustained in the preceding ODI series kept her out of the first two matches.
Javeria certainly tried her best to make up for lost time by carrying her bat through the innings for an undefeated 56 off 50 balls (5x4).
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It allowed Pakistan to navigate through an impressive spell in the middle period from Nondumiso Shangase (3/20) and Tumi Sekhukhune (2/15).
Javeria eventually found an able partner in Kainat Imtiaz (29 off 24 balls) and the pair shared a solid 61-run partnership to lift Pakistan to 127/6.
A feature of the visitors' innings was that they denied South Africa's chief strike weapon Shabnim Ismail a single wicket for the first time on the tour.
South Africa made a host of changes to their line-up, particularly within the batting unit, which always meant the chase would prove challenging.
The in-form Tazmin Brits was omitted for Faye Tunnicliffe, while fellow opener Lizelle Lee also made way for Anne Bosch at the top of the order. A further change saw Laura Wolvaardt sit out for Laura Goodall to return to the T20 side.
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The inexperience was evident from the outset with Bosch and Tunnicliffe involved in a horrible mix up to put South Africa immediately on the back foot during the run chase.
Tunnicliffe drove powerfully to wide of the mid-off fielder and called Bosch through for thr run. But instead of responding to the call, Bosch remained in her crease despite the advancing Tunnicliffe.
Unfortunately for Tunnicliffe, she was left stranded in the middle of the pitch despite wicket-keeper Muneeba Ali initially fumbling the throw in from Aiman Anwer. Ali recovered, though, and took off the bails to reduce South Africa to 1/3 in the second over.
South Africa's troubles doubled shortly afterwards when Marizanne Kapp swept straight past a flighted delivery from left-arm Anam Amin. The home side would have hoped that Kapp would be the cornerstone of their innings, but the all-rounder had to depart for one.
Amin was certainly in the midst of an impressive spell and gained further reward when Bosch chipped one straight back at her to be dismissed for 13.
South Africa's troubles were not over yet though. Goodall looked busy when she came to the crease but could not maintain the momentum with Nida Dar clean bowling the left-hander for 11, reducing South Africa to a perilous 45/4 in 10th over.
Proteas captain Sune Luus joined Mignon du Preez (24 not out) at the crease at this stage and the pair set about rebuilding the hosts' innings and were well set to launch an assault in the final eight overs, but a potentially exciting chase was derailed by the notoriously fickle Durban weather.
SCORECARD
Pakistan: 127/6 (Javeria 56*, Imtiaz 29, Shangase 3/20, Sekhukhune 2/15)
South Africa: 68/4 after 12.3 overs (Du Preez 24, Amin 2/14)
Pakistan won by 8 runs (D/L method)
IOL Sport