The T20I series between the hosts Pakistan and South Africa comes down to a thrilling finale in the third and final match, with the series level at 1-1. Following a dominant win by South Africa in the first T20I at Rawalpindi and a crushing nine-wicket reply by Pakistan in the second in Lahore, all eyes turn to the Gaddafi Stadium for the series decider on Saturday, November 1.
Pakistan, buoyed by their return to winning ways and home support, will be banking on the form of their young batters and the clinical performance of their bowlers in the last game. South Africa, on the other hand, will be desperate to show the resilience and explosive batting that won them the opener, especially after a disappointing collapse in the second match.
PAK vs SA, 3rd T20I: Match Details
- Date and Time: November 1 (Saturday); 8:30 pm IST/ 3:00 pm GMT
- Venue: Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore
PAK vs SA, Head-to-Head Record (T20Is)
Matches played: 26 | Pakistan won: 13 | South Africa: 13 | No results: 0
Gaddafi Stadium Pitch Report
The Gaddafi Stadium pitch is typically batting-friendly, offering good bounce and carry, which assists stroke-play. While the average first-innings score in recent T20Is is high (around 191), the venue has also seen moderate totals. Pacers tend to have a moderate advantage compared to spinners, particularly with the new ball and on a pitch that offers pace. Historically, the ground slightly favours the team chasing due to the possibility of dew later in the evening, making the toss a crucial factor, with a preference to bowl first being common at this venue.
Team dynamics and key players
Pakistan: The home side carries significant momentum into the final, fueled by the aggressive batting of opener Saim Ayub, who played a match-winning unbeaten knock in the second T20I. The return of Babar Azam at number three adds crucial stability. Their bowling attack, featuring pacers Naseem Shah and the outstanding Faheem Ashraf (who starred with four wickets in the second game), along with spin from Salman Mirza, looks well-rounded to exploit home conditions.
South Africa: The youthful South African side must rediscover the explosive form they showed in the first T20I. Their top order, led by Quinton de Kock and Reeza Hendricks, needs to fire, especially after the batting collapse in the previous game. The team will look to the dynamic Dewald Brevis for fireworks and rely on all-rounders like George Linde and the pace of Lungi Ngidi to contain the formidable Pakistani lineup.
PAK vs SA, 3rd T20I: Today’s Match Prediction
Case 1:
- South Africa wins the toss and bats first
- South Africa powerplay score: 55-65
- South Africa total score: 175-195
Case 2:
- Pakistan wins the toss and bats first
- Pakistan powerplay score: 50-60
- Pakistan total score: 180-200
Match result: Pakistan to win
