New Zealand Vs South Africa Highlights, 3rd T20I: Tom Latham’s Fifty Leads NZ To Eight-Wicket Win

Greetings, we are back with another live blog as New Zealand take on South Africa in the 3rd T20I. Stay tuned for live updates.

New Zealand Squad: Devon Conway, Tom Latham(w), Tim Robinson, Nick Kelly, Mitchell Santner(c), James Neesham, Cole McConchie, Josh Clarkson, Lockie Ferguson, Kyle Jamieson, Ben Sears, Katene D Clarke, Jayden Lennox, Zakary Foulkes, Nathan Smith, Dane Cleaver

South Africa Squad: Wiaan Mulder, Connor Esterhuizen(w), Tony de Zorzi, Rubin Hermann, Jason Smith, Dian Forrester, George Linde, Gerald Coetzee, Keshav Maharaj(c), Nqobani Mokoena, Ottneil Baartman, Andile Simelane, Lutho Sipamla, Prenelan Subrayen

• Matches Played: 22

• NZ Won: 9

• SA Won: 13

The match will be telecast live in India on the Sony Sports Network. Viewers can also stream it live on the Sony LIV app and website, as well as on Amazon Prime Video.

New Zealand have won the toss and have opted to field.

South Africa (Playing XI): Wiaan Mulder, Tony de Zorzi, Connor Esterhuizen(w), Rubin Hermann, Jason Smith, Dian Forrester, George Linde, Gerald Coetzee, Keshav Maharaj(c), Nqobani Mokoena, Lutho Sipamla

New Zealand (Playing XI): Devon Conway, Tom Latham(w), Tim Robinson, Nick Kelly, Bevon Jacobs, Mitchell Santner(c), James Neesham, Cole McConchie, Kyle Jamieson, Ben Sears, Lockie Ferguson

Game on. Tony de Zorzi and Wiaan Mulder are out in the middle, taking guard for South Africa, with de Zorzi on strike and ready to face the first ball. Kyle Jamieson has the new ball in hand for New Zealand, a tall figure charging in to open the attack.

Slip cordon set, fielders ringed around the bat, a testing first over awaits as Jamieson looks to extract bounce and movement right away. The atmosphere tightens, here we go.

Jamieson comes in again, this one swings back in. de Zorzi goes hard at it, trying to hit over mid-on, but he doesn’t quite time it. Gets a bit of the inner half, and the ball runs away behind square on the leg side all the way to the fence at deep square leg. Not the cleanest contact, but it does the job, first boundary up for South Africa.

Wicket! Ben Sears has the breakthrough, and New Zealand are all over South Africa early here. de Zorzi tries to get cheeky, shuffling across the stumps for the scoop, but Sears reads it perfectly and goes short and straight into the body. It catches the glove and pops up awkwardly toward short third man, where Lockie Ferguson tracks back calmly and completes a good catch.

A soft dismissal in the end, and that’s a big moment in the powerplay, South Africa lose their third wicket with the innings still in its infancy. de Zorzi walks back after a scratchy 15 off 18, and New Zealand are firmly on top right now.

SA 41/3 (6)

Cole McConchie gets into the act now, and New Zealand keep striking at regular intervals. Rubin Hermann looks to work it away, but the ball skids on and sneaks through the gap to hit the stumps.

Clean bowled, no doubts, no drama. South Africa sink another blow as Hermann departs for 4 off 8, and New Zealand continue to tighten their grip on this innings.

James Neesham joins the party as New Zealand keep piling on the pressure. Dian Forrester goes for the cut, gets on top of the back-of-a-length delivery, but ends up slicing it straight to point. It was struck firmly, but right into the hands of Tim Robinson, who takes a safe catch in front of his face.

Another one bites the dust, Forrester goes for 17 off 15, and South Africa keep losing wickets at regular intervals.

Kyle Jamieson strikes again, and this time it’s George Linde who has to walk back. Linde looks to take him on but doesn’t quite get the timing right, and it flies straight into the safe hands of Tom Latham behind the stumps. A sharp, controlled catch and another blow for South Africa.

Linde departs after a handy 23 off 19, but New Zealand continue to stay firmly on top, picking wickets just when they need them.

Ben Sears is back among the wickets again, and this is another clean one. Keshav Maharaj gets beaten as the ball sneaks through and crashes into the stumps. No chance for the batter there, it’s straight through the defence.

Maharaj departs for 3 off 8, and New Zealand keep tightening the screws with yet another breakthrough.

South Africa finish their innings at 136/9 in 20 overs. New Zealand’s bowlers kept things tight throughout, striking at regular intervals and never allowing the batting side to build lasting partnerships.

Chase underway. Devon Conway and Tom Latham are out in the middle for New Zealand, with Conway on strike and ready to face the first ball. Gerald Coetzee has the new ball in hand for South Africa, charging in to open the attack.

Field is set, a bit of early movement on offer perhaps, a key opening spell coming up as South Africa look to strike early and New Zealand begin their pursuit of 137.

Sipamla goes short again, and Conway is ready for it this time. He rocks back quickly, gets into a strong position, and pulls it cleanly in front of square. It’s nicely timed, travels along the ground, takes a couple of bounces, and rolls away to the boundary.

Another four, and that over really gets away from South Africa, 21 runs off it, all momentum with New Zealand right now.

South Africa finally break through, and they’ll breathe a sigh of relief. Keshav Maharaj provides the breakthrough as Devon Conway looks to go big once more but ends up finding Rubin Hermann in the deep. Hermann settles under it and takes a clean catch, Conway’s fine knock comes to an end on 39 off 26, decorated with boundaries and sixes.

A crucial wicket right when New Zealand were building momentum, the Proteas are back in the hunt.

Fifty up for Tom Latham. Maharaj tosses it up and drifts it across the left-hander, but Latham stays composed. He gets low, rides the bounce nicely, and sweeps it powerfully behind square. It races away to the boundary, a well-paced, confident half-century from the New Zealand skipper.

Robinson goes big on the front foot and absolutely nails it. Coetzee goes full and straight, but Robinson clears his front leg and drills the drive back past mid-on. Pure timing, right off the middle, no need to run as it races away to the boundary.

Sipamla finally breaks through as Tim Robinson is given out LBW. It’s a nip-backer that catches Robinson on the crease, and the umpire raises the finger. Robinson reviews straightaway, but UltraEdge shows no bat, and ball-tracking confirms it, crashing into leg stump with three reds. The decision stands.

A much-needed breakthrough for South Africa in an otherwise tough outing. Robinson departs for 17 off 17, and Sipamla gets a wicket to his name.

New Zealand wrapped up an 8-wicket win over South Africa with ease, chasing down 137 in 16.2 overs after a dominant 96-run opening stand set the tone. Devon Conway’s brisk 39 gave early momentum before Tom Latham anchored the chase with an unbeaten 63*, guiding the hosts home comfortably despite a brief opening for South Africa when Dian Forrester dropped a catch.

South Africa’s 136/9 never looked enough, as their bowlers failed to build sustained pressure. With this win, New Zealand bounce back strongly after the opening loss and take the series lead heading into the 4th T20I in Wellington.

That’s a wrap. We’ll be back with another live blog, until then, bye bye.