Electing to bat first, Zimbabwe had stepped out with intent and scored 13 runs in the first over. But South Africa packed off both the openers inside the first five overs.
Coming in at 28/2, the experienced Raza held the innings together even as Zimbabwe kept losing wickets at regular intervals. In a knock studded with four sixes and eight fours, Raza scored 73 off 43 balls.
He built 38-run partnership with Dion Myers for the third wicket, and 39-run stand with Clive Madande to provide some much-needed solidity. Madande’s cameo of 26 not out took Zimbabwe to 153/7 in 20 overs.
With South Africa deciding to rotate the team, they brought in Anrich Nortje and Kwena Maphaka in place of Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen. And both the bowlers delivered wickets in their first overs. Not only did Maphaka provide the first breakthrough, but he finished with the best figures on the day for South Africa with 2/21 in four overs.
Lungi Ngidi became South Africa’s highest wicket taker in T20s after trapping Ryan Burl lbw, overtaking Tabraiz Shamsi’s tally of 89 wickets.
