South Africa Vs New Zealand Highlights, Zimbabwe T20I Tri-Series: Henry, Duffy Share Six Wicket As NZ Beat SA By 21 Runs

Hello and welcome to everyone joining us this Wednesday for some T20I cricket. New Zealand are back in international action after a two-month gap, and take on the in-form South Africa. Stay with us for the build-up, playing XIs, toss and live updates from the RSA vs NZ encounter in Harare.

South Africa: Lhuan-dre Pretorius (wk), Reeza Hendricks, Rassie van der Dussen (c), Rubin Hermann, Dewald Brevis, Corbin Bosch, George Linde, Andile Simelane, Nqabayomzi Peter, Nandre Burger, Lungi Ngidi, Senuran Muthusamy, Gerald Coetzee, Kwena Maphaka

New Zealand: Tim Seifert (wk), Devon Conway, Tim Robinson, Daryl Mitchell, Mitchell Hay, James Neesham, Bevon Jacobs, Mitchell Santner (c), Ish Sodhi, William ORourke, Matt Henry, Adam Milne, Rachin Ravindra, Michael Bracewell, Mark Chapman, Glenn Phillips, Zakary Foulkes, Jacob Duffy

After a dominant start against Zimbabwe, South Africa will look to continue their winning momentum when they face New Zealand in the second match of the T20I tri-series at Harare Sports Club on Wednesday. The Proteas, despite resting key players, impressed with debutants Rubin Hermann, Dewald Brevis, and Corbin Bosch stepping up in style.

New Zealand, meanwhile, enter the contest with a reshuffled squad due to injuries and MLC commitments, with Devon Conway replacing the injured Finn Allen and a possible debut on the cards for Bevon Jacobs. With both teams eyeing an early edge in the tri-series, a competitive clash awaits.

In T20I encounters between South Africa and New Zealand, the Proteas have enjoyed a clear upper hand, winning 11 of the 15 matches played so far. The Black Caps have managed just four victories, highlighting South Africa’s historical dominance in this format. As they prepare to face off again in the tri-series, New Zealand will be eager to narrow the gap, while South Africa will look to extend their winning record.

South Africa win toss and opt to bowl against New Zealand.

Senuran Muthusamy is making his T20I debut for South Africa.

Bevon Jacobs is debuting for New Zealand in T20Is.

New Zealand Playing XI: Tim Seifert (wk), Devon Conway, Tim Robinson, Daryl Mitchell, Mitchell Hay, Bevon-John Jacobs, Jimmy Neesham, Mitchell Santner (c), Ish Sodhi, Jacob Duffy, Matt Henry

South Africa Playing XI: Reeza Hendricks, Lhuan-dre Pretorius (wk), Rassie van der Dussen (c), Rubin Hermann, Dewald Brevis, George Linde, Senuran Muthusamy, Corbin Bosch, Gerald Coetzee, Lungi Ngidi, Kwena Maphaka

The players are out in the middle as live action gets underway in Harare. South Africa huddled before taking their positions, while New Zealand openers Devon Conway and Tim Seifert walked out to open the innings. Lungi Ngidi has the new ball in hand to kick things off for the Proteas.

Interestingly, this marks the first T20I meeting between South Africa and New Zealand in eight years—their last encounter came in February 2017 in Auckland. Mitchell Santner, now captaining New Zealand, is the only active player from that match still involved in this format.

New Zealand have made a brisk start to their innings, collecting 11 runs off the opening over. The momentum continued as Kwena Maphaka shared the new ball from the other end, conceding another 11 runs, including two boundaries, to keep the scoreboard ticking early for the Kiwis.

Breakthrough for South Africa! Lungi Ngidi strikes early, removing Tim Seifert with a fuller delivery angling into the stumps. Seifert tried to go big, clearing his front leg to hit across the line, but lost control and miscued it off the inner half of the bat. Debutant Senuran Muthusamy held his nerve and took a sharp catch at deep square leg, ending the opening stand and giving the Proteas their first wicket.

In the air... and taken! Kwena Maphaka gets his revenge as he dismisses Devon Conway with a well-directed short ball. Conway shuffled across and went for the pull, but only managed a thick top edge that flew high into the air. Lhuan-dre Pretorius, stationed behind the stumps, settled under it and took a comfortable catch. Both New Zealand openers are now back in the pavilion, and South Africa have struck twice early.

Top edged and gone! The short ball ploy pays off for Gerald Coetzee as he claims his first wicket of the match. Daryl Mitchell attempted a pull but couldn't keep it down, resulting in a thick top edge that flew toward deep backward square leg. Kwena Maphaka charged in from the deep and held onto a fine tumbling catch. New Zealand slip further as they lose their third wicket.

A loud appeal for LBW and the finger goes up after a brief pause! Senuran Muthusamy strikes on debut, picking up his maiden T20I wicket. It was an arm ball that angled in sharply from a length on off stump, cramping Mitchell Hay for room. Struck on the back pad, Hay had no chance of surviving that shout. A dream start for the debutant as New Zealand lose their fourth wicket.

WICKET! Jimmy Neesham falls for a silver duck as Kwena Maphaka returns to strike again, leaving New Zealand reeling at five down inside 10 overs. A short-of-a-length delivery outside off saw Neesham attempt a pull, but he mistimed it badly. The ball ballooned towards deep square leg, where Corbin Bosch settled under it and took a safe catch. Another top edge, another dismissal—New Zealand are in deep trouble.

Tim Robinson and Bevon-John Jacobs have helped New Zealand to recover after early jolts that reduced them to half. Robinson slammed his half-century in 42 deliveries with a perfect partner on the other anchoring the innings with Robinson playing the aggressor role.

New Zealand showed grit and smart game awareness to post a competitive 173 after stumbling to 70 for 5 against South Africa in Harare. Tim Robinson anchored the innings with a composed career-best knock, while debutant Bevon Jacobs played a vital supporting role in a game-changing 103-run sixth-wicket partnership — the highest ever for that wicket against South Africa in T20Is.

The duo accelerated late, plundering 63 runs off the final five overs, ensuring a strong finish. Unlike Zimbabwe in the previous match, New Zealand converted their one substantial stand into a match-defining one. While they might still be a few runs short of ideal, their superior bowling attack could make the difference in the second half.

The players are back on the field as South Africa begin their chase of 174. Reeza Hendricks and Lhuan-dre Pretorius stride out to open the innings, looking to give the Proteas a solid start. Matt Henry has the new ball and Pretorius starightaway gets off with back-to-back boundaries.

Edged and gone! Matt Henry strikes back with a clever change in length, pulling it slightly shorter and angling it away just outside off. Lhuan-dre Pretorius, looking to guide it with a late cut, only manages a faint edge. Tim Seifert behind the stumps reacts sharply, diving to his left to pouch a safe catch. The change of ends works for Henry as he provides New Zealand their first breakthrough, sending Pretorius back for 27.

Mistimed and taken! The change of ends works for Jacob Duffy as he strikes with a short delivery angled into the body. Rubin Hermann, promoted to number 3, looks to pull but is rushed by the extra pace and bounce. The ball lobs off the splice and lands safely in the hands of Matt Henry at mid-on. A soft dismissal, and South Africa lose their second wicket with Hermann departing cheaply.

Double blow for South Africa! First, skipper Mitchell Santner makes an immediate impact, striking with his second delivery as Reeza Hendricks is bowled for 16—beaten by one that skidded on with the angle and crashed into the top of leg stump.

Soon after, Ish Sodhi joined the party with a beautifully disguised googly that completely deceived debutant Senuran Muthusamy. Attempting to go over the covers, Muthusamy missed it entirely as the ball spun through and rattled the stumps. South Africa now find themselves four down, with the chase in trouble.

Disaster for South Africa! A mix-up in the middle has cost them their skipper, Rassie van der Dussen. It all began with a flighted delivery on the stumps, which Rassie nudged square on the leg side. A moment of hesitation followed as Seifert pounced on the ball quickly.

Despite the delay, the batters committed to the run, but Seifert’s sharp throw to Santner at the non-striker's end was swiftly flicked onto the stumps. The replay revealed Rassie was just short of his crease when the bails came off, and the big screen flashed OUT. The Proteas are now five down and in deep trouble.

GONE! Matt Henry returns to the attack and strikes just when New Zealand needed a breakthrough. Bowling a short-of-a-length delivery around off, he tempts Dewald Brevis into a short-arm pull. Brevis, who had looked in fine touch, mistimes it and hits it flat and straight into the hands of the long-on fielder. A big blow for South Africa as 'Baby AB' walks back, and they’re now six down with the chase slipping away.

Another one bites the dust! An LBW appeal and the finger goes up as Corbin Bosch departs, leaving South Africa in deeper trouble. Sodhi bowls a length delivery on middle and off that straightens just enough to beat Bosch’s attempted reverse sweep. Struck on the front pad, Bosch misses completely, and the umpire has no hesitation. Sodhi picks up his second, and South Africa are now seven down with the chase falling apart.

Double blow from Duffy puts New Zealand on the brink! First, George Linde falls trying to go big—pulls a short delivery but doesn’t get the distance, and Conway takes a sharp catch at deep mid-wicket. On the very next ball, Maphaka swings hard at a full delivery but only manages to chip it to Santner at covers. The third umpire is called in to check for a no-ball—it’s tight, but Duffy has just enough behind the line. OUT is the final decision, and South Africa are now nine down, with Duffy on a hat-trick!

New Zealand kicked off their T20I Tri-Series campaign with a commanding 22-run win over South Africa in Harare. Chasing 174, South Africa stumbled early and never quite recovered. Lhuan-dre Pretorius gave them a quick start with 27 off 17, but a flurry of wickets saw the Proteas slide to 62/5.

Dewald Brevis fought back with a fiery 35, and George Linde (30) tried to rally with Gerald Coetzee, but the chase fizzled out at 152 in 18.2 overs. Matt Henry and Jacob Duffy starred with three wickets each, while Ish Sodhi picked up two.

Earlier, Tim Robinson (75*) and debutant Bevon Jacobs (44*) rescued New Zealand from 70/5 with a brilliant 103-run stand, lifting them to a competitive 173/5 — a total that proved more than enough in the end.