• Faheem Ashraf grabs four crucial wickets.
• Saim Ayub smashes unbeaten 71-run knock.
• Hosts level series with commanding win.
  

LAHORE: Pacers and opening batter Saim Ayub led the charge as Pakistan defeated South Africa by nine wickets in the must-win second T20I game at the Gaddafi Stadium on Friday.

Chasing a modest 111-run target, the home side comfortably knocked the winning runs for the loss of just one wicket and 41 balls to spare.

Pakistan got off to a flamboyant start to the pursuit, with their opening pair of Saim and Sahibzada Farhan putting together a brisk 54-run partnership.

The opening stand was eventually broken by Corbin Bosch in the seventh over when he trapped Farhan lbw with an in-dipper. The right-handed opener scored 28 off 23 deliveries with the help of three sixes.

Ayub was then joined by star batter Babar Azam in the middle, and the duo ensured Pakistan sailed over the line without further setbacks as they registered a match-winning 64-run partnership.

The second-wicket partnership was largely dominated by Ayub, who remained the top-scorer with an unbeaten 71 off just 38 deliveries, smashing six fours and five sixes, while Babar made 11 not out from 18 balls.

For South Africa, Bosch was the solitary wicket-taker.

Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha’s decision to field first bore fruit as his team’s bowling unit booked South Africa for a meagre 110 in 19.2 overs.

Youngster Salman Mirza gave Pakistan a dominant start with the ball, by cleaning up Reeza Hendricks (zero) on just the second delivery of the fixture.

The Proteas then lost two more wickets in successive overs, bowled by Naseem Shah and Salman, respectively, and thus had been reduced to 15/3.

Bowling his third over on trot, Salman, who had earlier dropped Matthew Breetzke (five) off Naseem, repented his mistake by bowling the right-handed batter with a leg-cutter.

With South Africa reeling at 23/4 in 4.4 overs, Dewald Brevis attempted to launch a counterattack by going after the Pakistan pacers, but Faheem Ashraf drew curtains on his blistering cameo in the eighth over with a short-pitched delivery.

Brevis remained the top-scorer for the visitors with a 16-ball 25, featuring three sixes.

The all-rounder then dismissed South Africa captain Donovan Ferreira (15) and George Linde in his next two overs, respectively, to strengthen Pakistan’s command.

Naseem added to South Africa’s woes in the 14th over by dismissing their all-rounder Corbin Bosch (11), caught behind.

Following the slump, lower-order batters Ottneil Baartman and Nandre Burger (nine) added valuable runs at the backend, putting together 19 runs for the ninth wicket until the latter was dismissed by Abrar Ahmed in the penultimate over.

Faheem was the leading wicket-taker for Pakistan, dismissing four South African batters for just 23 runs in 3.2 overs, followed by Salman Mirza, who gave away just 14 runs in his four to pick up three wickets. Naseem Shah lent ample support with two scalps, while Abrar chipped in with one.

The nights are closing in, darkness is falling all around and spooky season is underway once again with the world of football being dragged into the netherworld of Halloween.

As usual, many soccer stars have celebrated in style, and the social media landscape was suddenly awash with images of players and their families going all-out for the occasion.

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With fixtures piling up, a couple of clubs went early with their celebrations this year as several Real Madrid players had a Halloween party two days before Oct. 31.

Fresh from vanquishing Barcelona in the Clásico, a number of Los Blancos‘ Brazilian contingent gathered for a fright-fest while donning an array of spooky costumes for the occasion.

Vinícius Júnior‘s girlfriend, Virginia Fonseca, dressed up as Cruella de Vil, but her partner obviously didn’t get the memo about the “101 Dalmatians” theme, as he decided to go as a manic clown instead.

Endrick and his wife, Gabriely Miranda, rocked matching his-and-hers Chucky doll costumes for the party that they chose to accessorize with an arsenal of blood-soaked weaponry.

Éder Militão, wife Taina and his family went as the Addams Family and even took the time to produce a short video tribute to the iconic TV show, complete with theme tune and finger clicking.

The theme of Rodrygo‘s costume wasn’t immediately clear, but it consisted of a leopard-print suit and blood-splattered T-shirt.

NAPOLI

Serie A champions Napoli also chose to celebrate on Wednesday, the day after they won 1-0 at Lecce while wearing their new limited-edition Halloween kit complete with glow-in-the-dark badge!

The Partonopei kept the ghoulish theme running by gathering in Naples on Wednesday evening. Scott McTominay and partner Cam Reading looked the part, with the midfielder sporting some very convincing half-flesh/half-skull face paint (though given his new nickname in Naples, dressing up as The Terminator might have been more appropriate).

McTominay also took some time to point out Rasmus Højlund‘s lack of effort.

The 22-year-old striker, who is on loan from Man United, turned up in a sweater vest, chinos, and black loafers with white socks, with McTominay enjoying his choice of sock color in particular.

The Addams Family were once again represented, with Leonardo Spinazzola playing Gomez this time, alongside teammate Matteo Politano, who filled in as Pugsley.

Elsewhere, Alex Meret turned up as Hagrid and Mathías Olivera as Captain Jack Sparrow among a variety of other costumes inspired by Harry Potter, Batman and “Breaking Bad.”