A power-packed innings by David Miller and a career-best all-round performance by George Linde took South Africa to an 11-run win in the first T20 international century against Pakistan at Kingsmead on Friday.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Miller slammed 82 off 40 balls with four fours and eight sixes and Linde hit a rapid 48 in a South African total of 183 for nine.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Left-arm spinner Linde followed up by taking four for 21.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Pakistan captain Mohammad Rizwan hit 74 and his team were still in with a chance of winning until he was caught off the second ball of the final over.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
"It was almost the perfect comeback," said Linde after being ignored by successive South African selectors for more than three years.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Linde said he felt calm with both bat and ball – but he said he felt he "had to deliver a good performance" after missing the team bus to the ground. He needed a police escort to catch up.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Linde took two wickets in his final over and briefly had a hat-trick when Haris Rauf was given out leg before wicket before successfully reviewing the decision.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Rizwan said the individual performances of Miller and Linde was the difference between the teams.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Shaheen Shah Afridi led a disciplined Pakistan bowling attack, taking three for 22 – and reaching 100 wickets in T20 internationals.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Leg-spinner Abrar Ahmed took three for 37 despite being hit for three successive sixes by Miller.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Miller was in sublime form but the rest of South Africa’s top order failed, with only captain Heinrich Klaasen (12) reaching double figures.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Miller was sixth out with the total on 135 in the 14th over but Linde hit four sixes in a 24-ball innings – including three in the last over by Sufiyan Muqeem – to take South Africa to a respectable total.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\r\nBrief scores:<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\r\nSouth Africa 183-9 in 20 overs (D. Miller 82, G. Linde 48; Shaheen Shah Afridi 3-22, Abrar Ahmed 3-37, Abbas Afridi 2-30).<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Pakistan 172-8 in 20 overs (Mohammad Rizwan 74, Saim Ayub 31; K. Maphaka 2-39, G. Linde 4-21).<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\r\nResult: South Africa won by 11 runs.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Series: South Africa lead the three-match series 1-0.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Toss: South Africa.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\r\nRemaining matches:<\/p>\r\n\r\n
December 13, Centurion<\/p>\r\n\r\n