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Esterhuizen's 57 Powers SA to Series-Leveling 19-Run Win Over NZ

South Africa leveled the five-match T20I series 2-2 with a 19-run victory over New Zealand in Wellington. Batting first, wicketkeeper Connor Esterhuizen's 57-run knock was instrumental in setting a target of 164. New Zealand's chase faltered after a promising start, collapsing from 76/2 to be bowled out for 145 in 18.5 overs. The bowling attack, led by Gerald Coetzee's three wickets, secured the win and set up a decisive final match.

Key Points: SA Beat NZ by 19 Runs, Level T20I Series 2-2

  • SA post 164/5
  • Esterhuizen scores 57
  • NZ bowled out for 145
  • Coetzee takes 3 wickets
  • Series leveled 2-2 ahead of decider
2 min read

4th T20I: Esterhuizen shines as SA beat NZ by 19 runs to level the series 2-2

Connor Esterhuizen's half-century and a combined bowling effort lead South Africa to a 19-run victory over New Zealand, setting up a series decider.

"Esterhuizen reached his fifty in 33 balls during the 10th over. - Match Report"

Wellington, March 22

Wicketkeeper batter Connor Esterhuizen's half-century, followed by a combined bowling effort from Gerald Coetzee, Ottneil Baartman, Prenelan Subrayen, and Keshav Maharaj, helped South Africa register 19- run win against New Zealand in the fourth T20I of the five-match series played at the Sky Stadium on Sunday.

Batting first, South Africa posted 164/5 on the scoreboard from 20 overs, with Esterhuizen leading the charge with the bat. In reply, New Zealand got bowled out for just 145 in 18.5 overs. With this win, South Africa have levelled the series 2-2, and the decider will be played on March 25 at Hagley Oval.

After winning the toss and choosing to bat, South Africa had a poor start as Mulder got out on just the second ball. However, Esterhuizen and Tony De Zorzi built a strong partnership of 81 runs, putting the team in a good position. Esterhuizen reached his fifty in 33 balls during the 10th over.

New Zealand, led by Jimmy Neesham, fought back by taking quick wickets. Esterhuizen was dismissed for 57, while De Zorzi got out after scoring 23 off 21 balls.

Rubin Hermann remained not out on 28, while Jason Smith and Dian Forrester added 19 runs each, helping South Africa reach a competitive total. For New Zealand, Kyle Jamieson took two wickets, while Zakary Foulkes, Ben Sears, and Cole McConchie picked up one wicket each.

Chasing the target, New Zealand had a tough start and could not recover. Tim Robinson was the top scorer with 32, and Dane Cleaver made 26, but the rest of the batters failed to contribute much.

At 76/2 in 8.2 overs, New Zealand were still in the game, but the dismissal of Cleaver led to a collapse. They lost eight wickets for just 69 runs and were eventually all out for 145 in 18.5 overs.

Gerald Coetzee led the bowling with three wickets, while Baartman, Subrayen, and Maharaj took two wickets each.

Brief Scores:

South Africa 164/5 in 20 overs (Connor Esterhuizen 57, Rubin Hermann 28*; Kyle Jamieson 2-29, Cole McConchie 1-26) beat New Zealand 145/10 in 18.5 overs (Tim Robinson 32, Dane Cleaver 26; Gerald Coetzee 3-31, Prenelan Subrayen 2-13) by 19 runs

- IANS

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
The South African bowling attack was clinical! Coetzee, Maharaj, and Subrayen choked the Kiwis in the middle overs. Reminds me of our own Bumrah and Kuldeep's partnership. Excited for the final match!
A
Aman W
New Zealand's batting collapse was shocking. From 76/2 to all out for 145? That's poor cricket. They really missed Kane Williamson's calm head in the middle order. SA fully deserved this win.
S
Sarah B
As a neutral fan, this is fantastic for the sport! A 2-2 scoreline going into the last match. Perfect Sunday entertainment. Hope the decider is just as close. 🏏
V
Vikram M
Good fight shown by SA's second-string team. But honestly, the quality of cricket in this series hasn't been top-tier. Too many collapses on both sides. The IPL starting soon will be a different level altogether!
K
Kavya N
Esterhuizen's fifty was the difference. He anchored the innings beautifully. Also, nice to see Keshav Maharaj among the wickets. Spinners winning matches is always a treat to watch! 🎯

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