SA vs NEP Highlights, T20 World Cup 2024: South Africa fight off spirited Nepal by 1 run

Right then, what a fabulous contest we have witnessed here at the Arnos Vale Ground in St Vincent and the 2024 ICC Men's T20 World Cup just keeps giving us these humdingers which the neutrals certainly enjoy a lot. Also, in Tarouba, New Zealand have demolished a hapless Uganda side by 9 wickets in what is a consolation win for the Kiwis. There's still group stage action left in the tournament and next up, it will be India taking on Canada in Lauderhill on Saturday, 15 June at 8 pm IST (2.30 pm GMT) but as usual, you can join us a lot sooner for the build-up. Till then, take care and goodbye!

Aiden Markram, the South African skipper says that he is grateful to have got the win. Adds that they were not at their best and were on the back foot for the most part of the game. Mentions that pace is their strength and they want to back it. Shares that it was challenging for the Nepalese batters when the pacers hit the right lengths. Lauds the Nepal bowling made it tough for them and the run-scoring was difficult. Adds that Nepal are a quality side. States that they want to prepare well going forward as the conditions in the Caribbean will be different from those in the USA. Shares that they need to assess, adapt, and develop their plans going forward. Ends by saying that they wanted to give Tabraiz Shamsi, some gametime and with Keshav Maharaj in the mix, both the spinners will play a key role going forward.

Nepal's skipper, Rohit Paudel says that he is very proud of the unit given the way they bowled and even batted. Adds that they knew the wicket would have been on the slower side and once they got a bit of a feel while bowling, they knew spinners would be the way to go. Reckons that they didn't quite manage to do well in the crunch moments and if they keep up the good work, next time, they will get over the line. On the fans, he says that he wants to thank everyone who has come in from so far and even those at home who watch them and support them.

Tabraiz Shamsi is the Player of the Match for his terrific spell. He says that he is definitely relieved as they came into the game with the intention of making four out of four. Adds that the game got close but they came out on the winning side. Lauds the Nepal side as they used the conditions well and played a wonderful game. Mentions that they have been put under pressure and came out victorious which is a positive for them. Ends by sharing that they want to take one game at a time.

The Presentation ceremony...

After having bowled brilliantly and restricted South Africa to just 115 runs, Nepal knew that a decent start in the Powerplay would help them a lot and they did get just that. Kushal Bhurtel and Aasif Sheikh played and missed a few deliveries early on but managed to get away a few lovely boundaries as well. Bhurtel was the first one to fall and skipper, Rohit Paudel soon followed. Aasif Sheikh however stayed on and gave Nepal real hope of an upset. Anil Sah supported him well but when things got tight, neither of them could stay at the crease and it was left to the tail-enders to get the job done. Sompal Kami and Gulshan Jha gave it a fair fight in the last couple of overs but it just wasn't meant to be.

South Africa have pulled out another rabbit out of the hat and this team just seems to find a way but they will know that they certainly need to up their game, especially on the batting front if they are to keep winning in the next stage of the competition. On a pitch that aided the spinners, they only had one proper option with skipper, Aiden Markram acting as the part-timer. The Powerplay proved that pace wasn't the right way as they failed to pick up a single wicket. The wickets did come in the middle overs as Tabraiz Shamsi picked up a couple and Markram got one too. Still, the Proteas needed something special and with the required rate under run-a-ball, it had to be something special. Shamsi stepped up once again and bowled a gem of an 18th over, picking up a couple of more wickets and right at the very death, Ottneil Baartman managed to hold his nerves to keep the unbeaten record going.

SOUTH AFRICA HAVE DONE IT AGAIN AND IT IS HEARTBREAK-HOTEL FOR NEPAL! The Proteas have played 4 games and after the first game, all remaining three games have been low-scoring thrillers which they have managed to win whilst not being at their best but they have managed to win every single game and that's the mark of a good side. Nepal though, were so close to getting their first T20I win against a Test-playing nation and they will feel, they let it slip right at the death and this loss means, Bangladesh are all but through to the Super 8s alongside South Africa but Netherlands are still in with an outside chance in Group D.

What happened here? Drama right at the death, wow! That could probably be the most heartbreaking way for Nepal to lose the game. De Kock's throw ricocheted off the batter but Heinrich Klaasen was right there and he flicked the ball onto the stumps at the bowler's end. The replays show that Gulshan Jha was just short of his crease and OUT comes up on the big screen. Even if Klaasen had missed, South Africa might have appealed for obstruction of field as well given Jha ran straight down the middle of the pitch.

Ottneil Baartman to Gulshan Jha, OUT! RUN-OUT! SOUTH AFRICA HOLD THEIR NERVE! AGONY FOR NEPAL! They have fallen short by just one run. Ottneil Baartman bowls it short again, around off. Jha plays and misses again. The batters look to scamper for a bye as de Kock throws it at the bowler's end but the ball hits the back of Jhas. Heinrich Klaasen collects it quickly and knocks down the stumps. Gulshan Jha is short of his crease and Nepal fails to get over the line. Soo close and yet so far for Nepal. 

2 required off the final ball! Are we heading into a Super Over?

Ottneil Baartman to Gulshan Jha, A precious dot from Ottneil Baartman. Bowls it short of a length, angling away from the batter. Gulshan Jha looks to play the upper cut but does not connect. 

Ottneil Baartman to Gulshan Jha, Hard-length, outside off. Gulshan Jha clears the front leg and slaps it to deep extra cover for a couple. 

Ottneil Baartman to Gulshan Jha, FOUR! CRUNCHED! Gulshan Jha connects and gets a boundary. Full-length delivery outside off. Jah swings hard and smacks it toward the deep cover region for a cracking boundary. Nepal are just a hit away from a historic win. 

Ottneil Baartman to Gulshan Jha, An excellent wide yorker from Ottneil Baartman. Gulshan Jha looks to squirt it away but misses again. 

Ottneil Baartman to Gulshan Jha, On a good length, angling across the batter. Gulshan Jha plays and misses. 

Anrich Nortje to Sompal Kami, Full and straight at the stumps. Kami makes room and drills it toward the deep extra cover region for a couple.

Anrich Nortje to Sompal Kami, SIX! OUT OF THE PARK! A massive hit and Sompal Kami keeps Nepal alive in the chase. Slower length ball, angling into the middle and off. Sompal Kami picks the bones out of it and smokes it hard over the deep square leg boundary for a 105 meter hit. 

Anrich Nortje to Sompal Kami, Back of a length, outside off. Kami plays and misses. 

Anrich Nortje to Sompal Kami, Pitched full, on off. Kami drives it to the man at short cover.

A bit of a hold-up in the play now. The middle stump seems to have been shattered here and needs a bit of repairing. All good now and Sompal Kami comes in to face the next delivery.

Anrich Nortje to Kushal Malla, OUT! TIMBER! Another one bites the dust and Nepal are faltering in the run-chase. This was on a hard-length, on the middle and off-stump line. Kushal Malla goes for a wild pull across the line and misses it completely. The ball clatters into the stumps and the sixth Nepal wicket is back in the pavilion. 

Anrich Nortje to Kushal Malla, Back of a length, on off. Malla mistimes the pull to mid-wicket.

Gulshan Jha walks in at 7.

Tabraiz Shamsi to Aasif Sheikh, OUT! BOWLED'EM! Tabraiz Shamsi gets his fourth wicket and probably the most important one of his spell. This was tossed up on the middle and spun back into the stumps. Aasif Sheikh plays all around it and the ball clatters into the stumps. The set batter Aasif Sheikh is back in the hut as Nepal have lost half their side.

Tabraiz Shamsi to Aasif Sheikh, Flatter, turning on the middle and leg. Aasif Sheikh goes back to nudge it away but misses and wears on the pad. 

Tabraiz Shamsi to Kushal Malla, Flighted on the pad. Malla nudges it through square leg for a single. 100 is up for Nepal. 

Kushal Malla walks in next.

Tabraiz Shamsi to Dipendra Singh Airee, OUT! CAUGHT! Bowls it flat and spins it down the leg. Dipendra Singh Airee gets across the line to sweep this away but gets a faint edge on the glove. Quinton de Kock takes a sharp catch and is given by the on-field umpire. Dipendra Singh Airee goes for the review. The replays show a clear spike on the glove and Airee is a goner. Nepal lose their fourth!

Tabraiz Shamsi to Aasif Sheikh, Floated on off. Aasif Sheikh skips down the pitch and drills it to long on for a single.

Tabraiz Shamsi to Aasif Sheikh, Flat and turning back into the batter. Aasif Sheikh goes back and blocks into the leg side. 

Marco Jansen to Dipendra Singh Airee, Three dots to end the over! Low full toss, angling across the batter. Dipendra Singh Airee swings and misses. Nepal needs 18 off the last three overs. 

Marco Jansen to Dipendra Singh Airee, Yorker on the middle and leg. Dipendra Singh Airee keeps it out and turns it toward short mid-wicket.

Marco Jansen to Dipendra Singh Airee, Short of a length, angling across. Dipendra Singh Airee looks to guide it down to third man region but does not connect.

Marco Jansen to Aasif Sheikh, Full-length, on off. Aasif Sheikh drives it to deep point for a single.

Marco Jansen to Dipendra Singh Airee, Full on the leg peg. Dipendra Singh Airee looks to play through the on-side but gets a leading edge that lands toward mid-on for a run.

Marco Jansen to Aasif Sheikh, Pitched full, at the stumps. Aasif Sheikh pushes it toward mid-off and scampers for a quick single.

Aiden Markram to Aasif Sheikh, Drifted down the leg. Aasif Sheikh nudges it behind square on the leg side for a single.

Aiden Markram to Aasif Sheikh, Flat and turns into the middle and leg. Aasif Sheikh goes back and tucks it toward the mid-wicket region. David Miller runs to his left and makes a brilliant stop. 

Aiden Markram to Dipendra Singh Airee, Tad short, turning down the leg. Dipendra Singh Airee stays back and pulls it toward deep backward square leg for a single.

Aiden Markram to Aasif Sheikh, Fired in at the middle and leg. Aasif Sheikh eases it to long-on for one.

Aiden Markram to Aasif Sheikh, Full on the middle and leg. Aasif Sheikh sweeps it to the man at mid-wicket.

Aiden Markram to Dipendra Singh Airee, Flatter, just outside off. Dipendra Singh Airee guides it toward backward point for one.

Ottneil Baartman to Aasif Sheikh, Slightly back of a length and outside off, Aasif Sheikh stays back to cut but ends up chopping the ball down towards backward point.

Ottneil Baartman to Dipendra Singh Airee, On a hard length now and angled into the legs, Dipendra Singh Airee tucks it away around the corner and gets across for another single.

Ottneil Baartman to Aasif Sheikh, Quick single! Good length around off stump, punched away in front of covers for a single, good running.

Ottneil Baartman to Aasif Sheikh, Excellent effort in the deep! Attempted short ball, staying low, it was actually the knuckle-ball. Aasif Sheikh pulls it off the inner half of the bat between deep square leg and fine leg. Tristan Stubbs runs to his right from the square leg fence and dives in to save a couple of runs.

Ottneil Baartman to Dipendra Singh Airee, Good length but this is angled into the pads, Dipendra Singh Airee flicks the ball down to fine leg and picks up a single.

Ottneil Baartman to Dipendra Singh Airee, On a fuller length and around off stump, sliding through, Dipendra Singh Airee stays back and pats the ball away to backward point.

Aiden Markram to Aasif Sheikh, Fractionally short around middle and turning in, Aasif Sheikh presses back and plays it toward mid-wicket.