South African captain Laura Wolvaardt almost inevitably led her team to victory by six wickets in the second of three T20 Internationals against Pakistan at Willowmoore Park in Benoni on Friday night.
Replying to the tourists 100-9 in a match shortened to 14 overs per side because of lightning, the consistently brilliant Wolvaardt finished unbeaten on 40 from 29 balls with Nadine de Klerk walloping her first ball to the boundary to secure victory with four balls to spare.
The victory secures the series with a game to spare – and with a three-match ODI series to follow.
🚨 MATCH RESULT 🚨
— Proteas Women (@ProteasWomenCSA) February 13, 2026
A thrilling shortened contest comes to a close at Willowmoore Park! 🏏👏#TheProteas claim victory by 6 wickets and go 2-0 up in the series. The final T20I will follow at this same venue on Monday, February 16. 🇿🇦✅️#Unbreakable pic.twitter.com/8udvPkH7gs
Sune Luus (13) was trapped lbw by left-arm spinner Sadia Iqbal and fellow opener Tazmin Brits fell for 29 off 25 balls against the same bowler while former captain, Dane van Niekerk, was lbw to legspinner Tuba Hassan for just three runs.
But Wolvaardt, as always, was the epitome of calm and poise, attacking at the right times and being unafraid to defend and reposition at others.
The captain might have been a school attendant overseeing children across a busy road.
Earlier allrounder Aliya Riaz gathered an important 20 runs from 18 balls with the next highest score being just 13 as Pakistan mustered a semi-respectable 100-9 in their restricted overs.
The match was delayed by lightning and the tourists struggled to gain any momentum with seamers Masabata Klaas (2-0-14-2) and Ayabonga Khaka (2-0-10-3) supreme in controlling the innings.
Left-arm spinner Nonkululeko Mlaba was at her pristine, parsimonious best with 1-16 from three overs.
Bowling precision! 💥
— Proteas Women (@ProteasWomenCSA) February 13, 2026
Ayabonga Khaka spearheaded the charge for #TheProteas with a superb 3/10 in 2 overs, setting the tone in this shortened contest. 🏏😎
A complete bowling effort sees the unit combine for nine wickets in the first innings. 🇿🇦#Unbreakable pic.twitter.com/t6dwDkm2KG
The third match of the series takes place in Benoni on Monday.
SOUTH AFRICA: Sune Luus, Tazmin Brits, Laura Wolvaardt (captain), Dane van Niekerk, Marizanne Kapp, Nadine de Klerk, Kayla Reyneke, Sinalo Jafta (wkt), Masabat Klaas, Ayabonga Khaka, Nonkululeko Mlaba.
Pakistan: Muneeba Ali (wkt), Gull Feroza, Ayesha Zafar, Eyman Fatima, Natalia Pervaiz, Fatima Sana (captain), Aliya Riaz, Tuba Hassan, Nashra Sandhu, Humna Bilal, Sadia Iqbal.