Johannesburg: South Africa batsman Faf du Plessis, after suffering an embarrassing Twenty20 defeat on Sunday at the hands of Pakistan, has said his team can learn a thing or two from the Pakistani players.
Pakistan beat South Africa by 95 runs - their lowest ever total in T20 cricket.
Du Plessis said that when Pakistan are on fire like they were during the match, they can put the best in the world under pressure. He said it was a learning curve for the SA`s young players, reports Sport24.
Du Plessis said his team could learn from Pakistan the way they played the first eight overs. Pakistan started with intent and had the run rate at over nine runs an over from the seventh over.
Du Plessis had to call on his `death` bowlers midway through the innings and said the only advice he gave his bowlers was not to panic.
He further said Mohammad Hafeez was the game changer for Pakistan.
Hafeez hammered 86 and took three wickets for 25 runs, while fast bowler Umar Gul took five for six as South Africa collapsed to 100 all out in reply to Pakistan`s 7-195 in what was a series decider after the first match in Durban was washed out.
Appointed Pakistan`s captain in the shortest form of the game, Hafeez thrashed four sixes and nine fours off 50 balls. When he was on 73 he became the first Pakistani to reach 1000 runs in T20 internationals.
His innings was in dramatic contrast to his struggles in a three-match Test series which ended last week in which he could score only 43 runs in six innings at an average of 7.16.
South Africa and Pakistan meet in five one-day internationals, starting in Bloemfontein next Sunday.
ANI
First Published: Monday, March 04, 2013, 13:02