South Africa has secured another convincing victory! They’ve consistently posted high scores throughout this tournament, and New Zealand played right into their hands by choosing to bowl first. Bavuma and his teammates fully capitalised on that decision, and the top-order batsmen once again displayed their exceptional skills.
Quinton de Kock achieved his fourth century of the tournament, and Rassie van der Dussen reached his second century in the competition. David Miller provided the finishing touches with a brisk fifty, leading the Proteas to a massive total of 357/4.
In response, Jansen took an early wicket by dismissing Conway, and New Zealand never appeared comfortable facing the tall South African pacers with the new ball. The Proteas’ quartet of pace bowlers put tremendous pressure on the opposition, delivering many dot balls and taking crucial wickets.
Maharaj also capitalised on this pressure by securing some important wickets before Phillips launched his attack. Just as they dominated most other teams in the tournament, the Proteas convincingly defeated even a strong team like New Zealand tonight, despite Phillips providing some late entertainment.
Rassie van der Dussen was declared player of the match for his outstanding innings.
Earlier, New Zealand made a bold decision by opting to bowl first against South Africa at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune. Even though they were aware of South Africa’s ability to set imposing totals in the tournament.
Bavuma had a promising start but once again failed to convert it into a substantial innings, getting caught at slip. The pitch wasn’t easy for batting, and Rassie van der Dussen initially struggled with his timing. Despite these challenges, he patiently built a strong partnership with de Kock, marking their second 200-run stand in the tournament.
Both top-order batsmen reached centuries – de Kock’s fourth in the tournament and RvD’s second. Their centuries helped the Kiwis reach 357 runs on the board.
Matt Henry had to leave the field due to a hamstring issue, and South Africa directed their efforts towards targeting Neesham during the final overs. Among the bowlers, Boult stood out with an early wicket and an impressive economy rate.
New Zealand also missed a few catching opportunities, and their fielding performance fell short. Miller contributed a quick fifty to finish off the South African innings, setting a challenging target for New Zealand. Given the good form of the South African bowlers, New Zealand faces a tough task in their run chase.
At the end of the innings Quinton de Kock said that he was feeling really good lately. It is nice that everything is coming together at an important time for us. They bowled really well upfront, especially Boulty.
