Multan: South Africa's women's cricket team arrived in Pakistan for a full tour, starting with a three-game T20I series. The first encounter on Monday evening ended in a narrow 10-run win for South Africa at the Multan Cricket Stadium. Returning to the same ground on Wednesday, September 18, for the second game, South Africa decided to field first after winning the toss. Pakistan's start was promising, as Gull Feroza and Muneeba Ali struck four boundaries in 20 balls, but the breakthrough came in the fourth over when Tumi Sekhukhune dismissed Feroza for 10 runs from 11 balls.
With the score at 25, Muneeba Ali paired up with Sidra, and the two put together a rapid 49-run stand for the second wicket. Muneeba eventually fell for 45 off 34 balls—hitting six fours and two sixes—leaving Pakistan at 74 for 2 after 10.2 overs. Sidra then teamed up with Nida Dar for a quick 26-run partnership before Sune Luus bowled Sidra for 28 off 25 balls (including three fours and a six). As the score reached 100 for 3 in the 13th over, Nida and captain Fatima Sana joined forces, adding a solid 60 runs for the fourth wicket over 38 balls.
During her 29-run knock from 21 balls, Nida Dar hit four boundaries and reached a historic milestone of 2,000 T20I runs, becoming only the third Pakistani woman to do so after Bismah Maroof and Javeria Khan. Pakistan finished their 20 overs at 181 for 4, powered largely by an unbeaten 37 off 23 balls from Fatima Sana, who smashed three fours and two huge sixes. Aliya Riaz added a late flourish, remaining not out with a quick 17 from just 7 deliveries.
On the bowling side for South Africa, Tumi Sekhukhune stood out, claiming two wickets for 30 runs across her three overs. Chasing 182, Tazmin Brits and Laura Wolvaardt opened the batting for South Africa. However, Brits was dismissed by Sadia Iqbal for 9 runs in the third over. The match took a dramatic turn during that same over when Pakistan's captain, Fatima Sana, was struck in the face while fielding, causing a significant scare for the team.
Due to the injury, Fatima Sana had to leave the field and was replaced as a concussion substitute by debutant left-arm pacer Tasmia Rubab. South Africa's chase struggled in the middle overs, losing captain Laura Wolvaardt for 25 off 36 balls in the ninth over. This was followed by the departures of Anneke Bosch and Nadine de Klerk, who scored 24 and 12 respectively.
South Africa eventually reached 168, falling 13 runs short of the target. They were kept in the game by a strong unbeaten 80-run partnership for the fifth wicket between Sune Luus, who anchored the innings with 53* off 29, and Chloe Tryon, who added 30* off 16. For Pakistan, left-arm spinners Nashra Sundhu and Sadia Iqbal each took two wickets, helping their team level the series 1-1.