So South Africa pick up yet another scratchy win but they have the points on the board and are unbeaten. As Markram said, they haven't played a complete game yet but the crucial thing is different players have risen in different occasions. They said this was the best pitch for batting here but both teams found out it wasn't the case and this in fact is the lowest team total batting first this World Cup here. That's curtains on this game. Barbados gears up to host West Indies v USA in a few hours from now. The West Indies need a win to stay alive in the comp. But USA have made it tough for all opponents. Can they pull off another upset? We'll see you all for that game. Take care!
Aiden Markram: Last three overs we had a lot against us but the bowlers had good plans and pulled it off. Message after the powerplay was it got slower. If I am greedy we were 10-20 short especially after the start we got. Not quite played a completely game of cricket but we are on the right track. Quinny (de Kock) has been good for us in the last two games. It was a bit nerve-wracking in those overs but it can happen. The plans were there just the execution wasn't. I'm grateful that catch (off Brook) stuck.
Buttler: Powerplay. Quinton came in with a lot of intent and we couldn't quite match that. We pulled it back and were happy to chase that target but his innings was the difference. We came back well with the ball. Brook and Livingstone had a fantastic partnership to get us close and even look like favourites but credit to South Africa for closing out the game. Really valuable. He's very understanding that you don't get to face many balls in T20 cricket at that positions. He's hitting the ball really well in the nets and backing himself. Looking forward to the next one.
Quinton de Kock | Player of the Match: It (the pitch) definitely doesn't play the same as night games. It's completely a different surface compared to the night games. There was a little bit of extra bounce early on. I try to carry on confidence game by game. We bowled really well in the powerplay, and we controlled it very nicely. To be able to defend 160 on a decent wicket is a good effort from us.
Keshav Maharaj spells in T20 WC 2024 2/22(4) vs SL 0/24(4) vs Net 3/27(4) vs Ban 1/24(4) vs USA 2/25(4) vs Eng
- Sixth win on the bounce for South Africa in T20 WC 2004 - the longest for them in the competition surpassing five successive wins in the 2009 edition.
Most consecutive innings with at least one wicket in T20 WCs 16 Anrich Nortje (2021-24*) 15 Graeme Swann (2009-12) 15 Adam Zampa (2021-24*) 11 Ish Sodhi (2016-21)
South Africa should have won this easily. England should have won this easily too. Both played some poor cricket and one eventually lost to nerves. With just
14:00 Local Time, 18:00 GMT, 23:30 IST: Harry Brook played a sensational innings. He came in with his side in deep trouble. Had the idea to take it deep and take calculated risks. He targetted the right balls and zones to hit gaps. He was all set to take England home but a mishit when he just needed to connect to clear the infield and South Africa grabbed the game from his jaws.
19.6
Nortje to Jofra Archer, no run, Archer slogs and misses! South Africa get out of jail to remain unbeaten in this comp
19.5
Nortje to Sam Curran, 1 run, to mid-off
19.4
Nortje to Sam Curran, no run, full toss, Curran mistimes the flick, finds deep mid-wicket, denies the run and wants to do it himself
19.3
Nortje to Sam Curran, FOUR, this is poor from Nortje. It's a short leg-side hit and he's trying to bowl leg-side where the wind will help Curran target leg-side and he's had fine leg in too. Curran says yeah, thanks for that gift and glances it fine to the fine leg fence
19.2
Nortje to Jofra Archer, 1 run, to deep mid-wicket
Jofra Archer, right handed bat, comes to the crease