LAHORE: Pakistan women’s captain Fatima Sana celebrated her 50th T20I with a swashbuckling 90, but her efforts were not enough to stop South Africa from registering a nerve-wracking last-ball win by five wickets in the opening match in Potchefstroom on Tuesday.

Batting at No. 8, Fatima belted nine fours and seven sixes in a 41-ball 90 to lift her side from a precarious 64 for six in the 10th over to a competitive 180 for nine. Pakistan fought back gallantly in the field after South Africa looked on course for a one-sided win, having raced to 102 for two at the halfway stage before slipping to 147 for five in the 16th over.

South Africa needed 10 off the last over and two off the last delivery before Kayla Reyneke struck a six to seal a thrilling win for the home side. She finished on 29 not out from 16 balls with one four and three sixes.

Returning to Fatima’s innings, her 90 was a career-best knock and came against the same side she had made her debut against in Pretoria seven years ago as a 17-year-old.

Such was the dominance of Fatima that her partners’ contributions were overshadowed.

She put on 74 runs for the seventh wicket in 43 balls with Umm-e-Hani (13 off 20). For the eighth wicket, Fatima added 17 runs from 12 balls with Nashra Sandhu, who scored nine from seven, and for the ninth wicket with Humna Bilal, she added 25 runs in eight balls; Humna scored one run from one delivery.

It was Fatima’s blistering knock that allowed Pakistan to add 77 runs in the last five overs, after they had reached 64 for six at the 10-over mark and 103 for six after 15 overs.

The most productive over of the innings was the 17th, in which Ayanda Hlubi conceded 21 runs, while 19 runs were scored in each of the 16th and 20th overs.

Laura Wolvaardt led South Africa’s run chase with a well-constructed 61 from 38 balls (eight fours and a six). She received good support from Sune Luus, who scored a 20-ball 32 with five fours; the pair added 62 runs from 35 balls for the second wicket.

Wolvaardt then added 46 for the third wicket with Dane van Niekerk, who was dismissed for 16 when 40 runs were required from 28 balls.

For Pakistan, Nashra Sandhu picked up two wickets for 27 runs.

Scores in brief:

1st T20I – South Africa women beat Pakistan women by five wickets

Pakistan 180-9, 20 overs (Fatima Sana 90, Natalia Pervaiz 20, Muneeba Ali16; Ayanda Hlubi 3-41, Kayla Reyneke 2-13, Nonkululeko Mlaba 2-40)

South Africa 185-5, 20 overs (Laura Wolvaardt 61, Sune Luus 32, Kayla Reyneke 29 not out, Dane van Niekerk 16, Tazmin Brits 16; Nashra Sandhu 2-27)

Next T20Is:

2nd T20I – 13 February, Benoni

3rd T20I – 16 February, Kimberley