South Africa won the first T20I at Abu Dhabi against Pakistan by six wickets and with ten balls to spare. The South African side now leads the series 1-0.
Pakistan won the toss and batted first on a track that did not look like it had too many runs. Shahzaib Hasan struggled to score too many runs while Imran Farhat’s innings was cut short too early for him to make an impression. The South African side, without the presence of Dale Steyn and Jacques Kallis looked good and thwarted the opening batsmen well. 
Lonwobo Tsotsobe sent back Farhat in the second over of the innings, while the second wicket partnership between Hasan and Mohammad Hafeez was broken by the same bowler to peg the side back at 38/2.
Hafeez, who had failed to get going then departed to make it 46/3 in the eighth over and the hosts were in trouble. Shahid Afridi blasted three sixes and a boundary off six balls but was consumed by skipper Johan Botha, and Pakistan collapsed from 75/3 to 119 all out.
The only major contribution came from the bat of Misbah ul Haq who made 27, but with none of the rest converting their starts into something big, the Pakistanis were left in big trouble. Tsotsobe and Botha claimed three wickets each.
Pakistani pace bowler Shoaib Akhtar stuck very early in the innings to send back Loots Bosman and then fooled AB de Villiers with a slower ball to make early inroads. Soon, Mohammad Hafeez had the better of Graeme Smith as well and the South African side had slumped to 26/3.
JP Duminy, however, ensured that the recovery was made by the South African side through his stand with Colin Ingram. The two added 66 runs for the fourth wicket to ensure that the Pakistanis were snubbed out of the game and despite the late wicket of Duminy (41), South Africa won it with ease.
Duminy’s excellent hand won him the man of the match.