Winning a series and losing the final match in such dramatic fashion is never quite the fairytale ending.
The Proteas Women walked off Willowmoore Park in Benoni on Monday night with the T20 International series trophy secured, but also with plenty to think about after a heavy 53-run defeat to Pakistan in the third and final match.
South Africa had already wrapped up the series with victories in Potchefstroom and Benoni last week. Yet this loss felt like a reminder that momentum can shift quickly, especially with an ODI series looming in Bloemfontein this Sunday.
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A tale of two innings
Pakistan, sent in to bat, looked in serious trouble early on. Both openers were back in the pavilion inside two overs, leaving the visitors scrambling at 10 for 2. For a moment, it seemed the Proteas bowlers were set to run through them.
But cricket is rarely that simple.
Captain Fatima Sana once again stepped up when her side needed her most. Walking in with Pakistan wobbling at 68 for 5 in the 12th over, she played a composed and confident knock of 47 not out off 30 balls. Alongside Aliya Riaz, who contributed 26, she dragged her team to a competitive 144 for 7.
South Africa’s bowling was steady. Nonkululeko Mlaba and Ayabonga Khaka were disciplined, while Masabata Klaas kept things tight. The bigger issue, however, was in the field. Four run-outs showed sharp awareness, but five dropped catches handed Pakistan lifelines they could not afford to give.
At international level, those small moments often define the outcome.
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Disastrous start derails the chase
Chasing 145 on a familiar Benoni surface would normally be well within South Africa’s reach. Instead, the innings unravelled almost immediately.
Tazmin Brits fell for a third-ball duck in the opening over. Within four overs, Lara Goodall and Dane van Niekerk followed. By the start of the fifth over, captain Laura Wolvaardt was out as well. The scoreboard read 30 for 4, effectively 30 for 5 with star all-rounder Marizanne Kapp unable to bat after leaving the field ill.
That was the turning point.
Without Kapp’s presence and with no partnerships forming at the top, the chase never found rhythm. Nadine de Klerk and Annerie Dercksen tried to stabilise the innings with a 55-run stand, showing grit and patience. But once Dercksen was run out in unfortunate fashion, the collapse was swift.
South Africa lost their final five wickets for just six runs, bowled out for 91.
Sadia Iqbal led the charge with 3 for 18, while Sana capped off a superb series with 2 for 12 and deserved player of the match and series honours.
Lessons ahead of the ODI series
Captain Laura Wolvaardt admitted afterwards that it was a disappointing way to end the series. She pointed to missed partnerships and fielding lapses as key concerns.
The Proteas have been building steadily under Wolvaardt’s leadership, and there were encouraging signs across the three-match series. But this final encounter exposed vulnerabilities, particularly when early wickets fall and pressure mounts.
There is also the ongoing challenge of consistency. South Africa needed a last-ball win in the opening T20 and allowed Pakistan to recover from difficult positions in every match. Against stronger opposition later in the year, those patterns could prove costly.
With the ODI series starting in Bloemfontein, the focus will quickly shift to recalibration. Longer formats often suit South Africa’s batting depth and bowling discipline, but only if they tighten up in the field and convert dominant positions into match-winning ones.
For now, the series win stands. That matters.
Yet in Benoni, the Proteas were reminded that in international cricket, even when you lift the trophy, there is always work to be done.
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Source: SuperSport
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