In a thrilling match at Kingstown, South Africa narrowly avoided an upset against Nepal in the T20 World Cup, winning by just one run. South Africa managed to score 115 runs, setting a modest target for Nepal. Despite a valiant effort, Nepal’s team fell short by one run, scoring 114 by the end of their innings.
Nepal’s bowlers, particularly Kushal Bhurtel and Dipendra Singh Airee, excelled in their performances. Bhurtel claimed four wickets and Airee took three, significantly hindering South Africa’s batting lineup. South Africa’s top-order struggled, with only Reeza Hendricks managing to score significantly, contributing 43 runs off 49 balls. The rest of the South African batsmen found it difficult to cope with Nepal’s disciplined bowling attack.
Nepal, in their chase, looked promising at several points. Aasif Sheikh and Anil Sah formed a crucial 50-run partnership for the third wicket, bringing their team close to a historic victory. Sheikh, after surviving an early scare off Kagiso Rabada’s bowling, played a steady innings. However, the game took a dramatic turn when Tabraiz Shamsi, South Africa’s left-arm wrist-spinner, returned to bowl in the 18th over and took the pivotal wickets of Sheikh and Sah.
Shamsi finished with impressive figures of four wickets for 19 runs, crucially shifting the momentum in South Africa’s favour. As the match entered its final overs, the tension mounted. Anrich Nortje’s crucial wicket of Kushal Malla in the 19th over further tilted the balance towards South Africa. Nepal required eight runs from the last over, and the situation came down to needing two runs off the final two balls.
However, South Africa’s experience came through, and they managed to secure the victory by just one run, with Gulshan Jha unable to clinch the win for Nepal in the last moments.
Fas reacted to South Africa’s thrilling win:
So unlucky Nepal cricket team 😳
— Oma Ram Choudhary (@Om_Choudhary07) June 15, 2024
Proud of our country cricket team 🇳🇵🇳🇵
— Sugam Pokhrel (@SugamPok123) June 15, 2024
Played so well remained 1 run short 💔
But our team fought till last ball against great team SA.#T20WorldCup #Nepal #NepvsSA
Great effort Nepal cricket team!
— Niraj Itani (@niraj_itani) June 15, 2024
So close yet so far.
🇳🇵 #NepalCricketTeam fought valiantly but fell short by a single run. 😔
— Deepak. (@TheCricTeam) June 15, 2024
Hats off to their incredible spirit and determination! 👏 #T20WorldCup #SAvNEP
pic.twitter.com/iI4BwBiDiv
Chin up, Nepal cricket fans! Your team has played world-class cricket on the global stage. The future looks bright, so come back stronger and continue supporting passionately, as you have done until now.
— Aman Deep (@thalampofpeace) June 15, 2024
#Nepal #NEPvsSA
#T20WorldCup2024 pic.twitter.com/S7XAznbCnG
Congratulations💐
— 🇮🇳(Mr.Cricket) (@ShyamKu01253855) June 15, 2024
👉Team 🇿🇦South Africa
Well Played 👏👏👏👏
Very Good Performance in this Match Against Nepal.
Unbelievable Winning in this Match
Nepal cricket can only grow from here , They are going to be a very good team in few years
— VoxComms Pte Ltd (@voxcommsorg) June 15, 2024
Nepal should have won that game. Afghanistan is the new Pakistan and Nepal is the next Afghanistan in white ball cricket.
— Manthan (@manthanojha_) June 15, 2024
These two teams are the next big thing in coming 5 years and they will beat anyone and I mean India and Australia too.#NEPvSA#T20WorldCup
Sandeep Lamichhane, who joined the team late due to visa issues, was unable to take any wickets but contributed to the team’s morale and effort. Despite his wicketless performance, his presence was a boost for the Nepalese side.
South Africa, already assured a spot in the Super Eight phase, found the Nepalese bowlers particularly challenging. Bhurtel’s dismissal of Marco Jansen and Kagiso Rabada in consecutive deliveries at the end of South Africa’s innings showcased the skill and tenacity of Nepal’s bowling attack.
This match, characterized by its intense competition and dramatic turns, ultimately saw South Africa clinch a narrow win while Nepal won the admiration of cricket fans with their spirited performance.
Get the latest cricket news here, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter and Instagram for more such updates.
