Loubser stars as South Africa win series
Sunette Loubser claimed two wickets and then struck 25 not out to guide South Africa to victory in the tri-series final in Doha
ESPNcricinfo staff
17-Jan-2014
South Africa 95 for 6 (Loubser 25*) beat Pakistan 94 (Ismail 3-25) by four wickets
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
Sunette Loubser claimed two wickets and then struck 25 not out to guide South Africa to victory in the tri-series final in Doha. In a low-scoring match, 16 wickets fell for 189 runs but South Africa had enough contributions down the order to get home with 39 balls to spare.
Having only managed to make 94, Pakistan fought hard with the ball, taking regular wickets. Sumaiya Siddiqi and Nida Dar both claimed two wickets in parsimonious spells but South Africa could afford to progress at just two runs an over. At 38 for 4 and with two new batsmen at the crease, there was a window of opportunity but Loubser and Shandre Fritz closed it during a 31-run stand.
Having been put in, Pakistan began steadily and despite a couple of early losses were 56 for 2 after 20 overs. Two balls later, however, Loubser had top-scorer Javeria Khan caught for 30 and the pressure began to increase. Bismah Maroof and Dar were the only other batsmen to make double figures, as seamer Shabnim Ismail claimed figures of 3 for 25.
Pakistan's last six wickets fell for just 18 runs as the group-stage winners, in a tournament that also featured Ireland, lost to South Africa for the second time in three days. The same teams will now contest a T20 tri-series, with the first match on Sunday.