Pakistan vs South Africa, 3rd T20I

The 3rd T20I between Pakistan and South Africa at the Gaddafi Stadium promises to be a pulsating contest as the series hangs in the balance. Pakistan enters this match buoyed by strong recent performances, especially at home where their spinners have thrived on the slow pitches in Lahore. Their key players, led by Babar Azam, have been consistent with the bat, averaging over 40 in the series so far. The pace battery, spearheaded by Shaheen Afridi, has also provided crucial breakthroughs in key moments. South Africa, on the other hand, have shown resilience but have struggled to fully capitalize in home conditions unfamiliar to them. Reeza Hendricks has been their standout batsman, while Kagiso Rabada has provided penetrative bowling spells. Strategically, Pakistan will look to exploit their home advantage, potentially batting first to leverage the dew factor in the second innings. South Africa might aim to chase, relying on their power hitters and death over specialists to claw back. Historically, Pakistan holds a slight edge at Gaddafi Stadium in T20s against South Africa.

AI Suggested Match Winner

Pakistan: 57%, South Africa: 43%

If Pakistan bat first, considering the dry, slow pitch at Gaddafi Stadium, a total of around 165-175 is a realistic target. Their batting lineup has enough firepower to accelerate in the death overs, particularly with power hitters like Shadab Khan and Mohammad Rizwan. Conversely, if South Africa bat first, exploiting the dew factor can be tricky but not impossible. They might post a competitive 160-170, fuelled by aggressive starts from their top order including Aiden Markram. The pitch tends to slow down after the midway point, which favors bowlers in the later half, so teams will aim to maximize early scoring to set a defendable or chaseable total.

The Gaddafi Stadium pitch traditionally offers a slow and low bounce, assisting spinners as the match progresses. Historically, the average first-innings score in T20Is here is around 165 runs. Chasing teams have had moderate success, winning roughly 52% of matches due to dew that makes bowling difficult in the second innings. Weather is expected to be clear with mild temperatures and no significant wind interference, ideal for cricket. The best bowler on this ground among the two teams is Shaheen Afridi, who once took 4/15 against South Africa here. The top batsman is Babar Azam, who boasts an unbeaten 80 in a previous T20I at this venue. South Africa's best record is Kagiso Rabada's 3/20 in last year’s series held here.

Matches Played	Pakistan Wins	South Africa Wins	Tied/No Result
15	8	6	1

Team Recent Performance

Team	Last 5 Matches	Wins	Losses
Pakistan	WWLWW	4	1
South Africa	LLWLW	2	3

Babar Azam: Pakistan’s linchpin batter has scored 180 runs in the series at an average exceeding 45, showcasing excellent control and strokeplay at Gaddafi Stadium.

Shaheen Afridi: With his lethal swing and pace, Shaheen has taken 7 wickets in the series and thrives on this pitch by exploiting early conditions.

Mohammad Rizwan: The wicketkeeper-batsman has been crucial in rotating strike and finishing innings responsibly with a strike rate hovering around 140 recently.

Reeza Hendricks: South Africa’s dependable middle-order batsman holds a solid average in T20s here and has scored vital runs in recent matches summing 120 runs in last 5 innings.

Kagiso Rabada: The South African pace spearhead has been their best bowler with 6 wickets this series, effectively combating Pakistan’s strong batting lineup.

Aiden Markram: Markram has played impactful innings early in matches providing South Africa with momentum but needs to convert starts into big scores.