South Africa (SA) all-rounder George Linde produced a match-winning performance with both bat and ball as the Proteas defeated Pakistan by 55 runs in the first of three T20 Internationals in Rawalpindi.

Put into bat first, SA posted a competitive total of 194, with Linde contributing a crucial 36 runs. He then turned to the ball to claim 3 wickets for 31 runs, helping bundle the hosts out for 139. His efforts earned him the Player of the Match award.

Speaking after the game, Linde said the team knew they could defend their score despite the high-scoring conditions.

“Obviously, we know it’s a high-scoring ground, but we felt that if we bowled well, which we did, we could defend 195,” he said.

With the victory, SA took a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.

–ChannelAfrica–