New Zealand beat South Africa in a thriller to win T20I tri-series

In a tight finish, New Zealand defeated South Africa by three runs to extend their undefeated streak to the tri-series final. After an attack from Dewald Brevis, New Zealand held onto two spectacular catches to deny South Africa with just seven to defend in the final over. After being selected to bat first earlier in the day, New Zealand posted 180/5 thanks to a strong batting performance that was highlighted by 47 each from Devon Conway and Rachin Ravindra.

In pursuit of 181, Lhuan-dre Pretorius’s well-timed backfoot blast through midwicket gave South Africa a boundary to start the match. By giving up just one run in the second over, Jacob Duffy kept things very close, but Zakary Foulkes was unable to support him and ended up giving up 13 runs in the third over. The openers for South Africa batted steadily and with a combination of caution and aggression during the PowerPlay, which resulted in a total of 46/0.

Spin was introduced in New Zealand following the PowerPlay, but it didn’t work out. Mitchell Santner and Michael Bracewell let up 27 runs in the 7th and 8th overs, 10 of which came from the five wides each bowler made. In an attempt to stop the scoring, Milne was brought in, but this didn’t work out either, as a resolute Pretorius scored two more boundaries.

Pretorius hit a delicious six off Bracewell to reach fifty, but three balls later, when trying to reach more, he was out stumped. Despite their inability to control the boundaries, New Zealand took charge of the match by dismissing Rubin Hermann, Rassie van der Dussen, and Reeza Hendricks by the sixteenth over. With South Africa at 139/4 and requiring 41 more runs to win from 24 deliveries, the match was tensely poised.

Milne let up just five runs off the 17th over, giving New Zealand a slight advantage.

Then Brevis responded to the call to arms from South Africa. Brevis hit three timely sixes in the 18th and 19th overs, which each lasted 15 overs. Bracewell superbly got Brevis out on the cow corner rail as he attempted to finish with a flourish, leaving New Zealand with just seven to defend in the last over. After Bracewell missed a difficult opportunity off the next delivery, the drama grew even more intense when Daryl Mitchell held onto a blinder down at long-on to remove George Linde. Senuran Muthusamy had to score four runs off the last delivery to get South Africa over the finish line, but he was unable to bat down a slower short ball from Henry, ensuring New Zealand’s perfect tri-series victory.

South Africa’s discipline with the new ball earlier in the day was lacking. Nandre Burger bowled two more wides in the second over after beginning it with a crazy down leg delivery that cost him five wides. Throughout the remainder of the PowerPlay, South Africa kept the New Zealand openers fed with sloppy deliveries, giving them plenty of room to score.

Muthusamy bowled a close 3-run over after New Zealand had managed 52/0 after the first six overs. He then came back to provide South Africa their first breakthrough by dismissing Tim Seifert in his next over. However, the momentum did not change in South Africa’s favour as a result of the wicket. As South Africa’s lack of discipline with the ball continued, the Kiwis scored without any interruption.

South Africa responded by taking frequent wickets, even though New Zealand’s runs came somewhat easy. Conway top-edged a stinging bouncer from Lungi Ngidi in the 12th over, falling against the flow of play and three runs short of his fifty. In the 14th over, Ngidi struck once more, catching Mark Chapman at cow corner, while Ravindra took 15 off Muthusamy in the next over. Mitchell found it difficult to get going right away, and Ravindra, like Conway, missed his fifty-run mark by three runs in the seventeenth over.

Despite only hitting one boundary in the final three overs, New Zealand managed to finish with 180/5 thanks to several extras and strong running between the wickets.