South Africa have won the 2nd T20 of Tri-series from Zimbabwe by 7 wickets and 38 balls to left in their innings. South Africa produced a commanding response in Windhoek. The Proteas defeated Zimbabwe by a comfortable margin after a dominant all-round display in the tri-series.
The victory came just a day after South Africa suffered a shock defeat against Namibia. This time, however, they left little room for error.
Zimbabwe began with plenty of intent. Brian Bennett and Ben Curran attacked the bowlers and helped the hosts reach 54 during the Powerplay. However, Bennett’s dismissal changed the momentum.
The Zimbabwe innings quickly lost its shape. South Africa’s spinners then took control and removed key batters at regular intervals. Sikandar Raza and Ryan Burl were among those dismissed during a damaging spell. Zimbabwe slipped from 76/1 to 94/5.
Tadiwanashe Marumani offered some resistance with a quick 30. Nevertheless, wickets continued to fall around him. Zimbabwe eventually finished the 2nd T20 of Tri-series against South Africa on 144.
South Africa’s bowling attack stayed disciplined throughout. Duan Jansen conceded heavily but recovered with three wickets. Debutant Eathan Bosch also impressed on his first appearance.
Meanwhile, Bjorn Fortuin, Kwena Maphaka and Prenelan Subrayen kept the scoring under control and each picked up a wicket.
South Africa’s reply was a completely different story. Jordan Hermann and Lhuan-dre Pretorius gave the chase an excellent platform during the Powerplay. That allowed Dewald Brevis to attack without pressure. The young batter made full use of the opportunity.
Brevis smashed his way to 75 from only 32 deliveries. He struck boundaries with remarkable ease and repeatedly cleared the ropes. Unlike the previous match, Brevis did not have to carry the chase alone. His teammates provided the support he needed.
His six-hitting was particularly damaging. Brevis alone cleared the boundary more times than Zimbabwe managed throughout their entire innings. As a result, South Africa raced towards the target and completed a hugely convincing victory.
Zimbabwe struggled to find answers with either bat or ball. They managed two early breakthroughs, but those wickets proved to be their only real success with the ball. After that, South Africa’s batters controlled the contest.
Zimbabwe’s bowling lacked consistency. Their fielding also produced several costly lapses. Overall, the Chevrons never managed to put all three departments together. The result gives South Africa their first victory of the tri-series. More importantly, it was a strong reaction to their surprise loss against Namibia.
The Proteas dominated with bat and ball. They also maintained their unbeaten record against Zimbabwe in T20 cricket. For Zimbabwe, the defeat in 2nd T20 of Tri-series from South Africa highlights several areas that need attention.
For South Africa, meanwhile, Brevis’ explosive form and a strong bowling performance provide plenty of encouragement heading into their next assignment.