न्यूजीलैंड vs दक्षिण अफ्रीका, दूसरा टी-20, सेडन पार्क, हैमिल्टन, 17 March 2026 - कमेंट्री

FOUR! Lovely shot! Overpitched, around off. Linde gets underneath and clubs it over cover. The fielder chases but the ball wins the race. 100 up for South Africa.

FOUR! And again! Lockie Ferguson keeps it full and around off. George Linde times it nicely past cover and it speeds into the fence.

OUT! TAKEN! Lockie Ferguson picks the final wicket. Excellent change of pace and change of line from Lockie. Bowls it short and into the batter on leg. Linde swipes across unconventionally and hits it to long on. Cole McConchie stationed there makes no mistake. THE KIWIS WIN BY 68 RUNS and level the five-match series, 1-1.

SIX! Connects well! Touch fuller, outside off, pace off from Jamieson. George Linde slams it across, well over long on for a biggie. 

Bowls it short and outside off, George Linde slashes his blade but misses.

Serves it full and just outside off. George Linde lifts it to long off where the fielder picks up on a bounce. A single.

Ouch! A hard length, shorter delivery on middle, nips in while staying a touch low. Ottneil Baartman is nowhere close to the ball and wears one on the box. Ottneil Baartman looks in a lot of pain and the physio is out. 

BEAUTY! Short of a length, around off, it lands and jags back in sharply. Cuts Ottneil Baartman in half as he tries to work it across. A muted appeal for caught behind but turned down. 

Excellent once again from Kyle. Zipping in sharply off the surface, slightly short and on middle. Ottneil Baartman looks to push it away but gets beaten on the inside edge.

Cannons one onto the pads, full in length, Linde uses his wrists to flick it to deep square leg for a single.

OUT! CAUGHT! A soft, soft dismissal and South Africa's trouble continues in the chase. Full from Ferguson, outside the off stump line, Keshav Maharaj gets on the front foot in an attempt to drive it past covers, but fails to keep it along the ground and ends up chipping it flatly to Tim Robinson stationed at short cover. A golden duck for Maharaj and South Africa are 92/8.

OUT! EDGED AND GONE! Two in two for Lockie Ferguson and he is on a hat-trick. Absolute jaffa from Ferguson as he bashes the length hard, and keeps the line of attack around the off stump. It is that Test-match line and length in the corridor of uncertainty. Too good for a tailender to deal with. It angles in and then straightens off the deck. Nqobani Mokoena gets half forward and looks to push it straight, but gets a thick outside edge as the ball nips away. A straightforward catching practice for James Neesham to his right, at first slip. South Africa are 92/9.

No hat-trick for Lockie. Fuller delivery, angling down leg. Ottneil Baartman looks to flick but misses and wears it on the pads.

Bowls it full and attacks the stumps. Ottneil Baartman solidly blocks.

Short of a length and angling on middle. Ottneil Baartman nudges it to square leg. Four wickets in two overs have almost sealed the game for New Zealand.

Full and wide outside off, Dian Forrester leans into the drive to Conway at sweeper cover. The throw is wayward to the keeper and Latham cannot cut it off, so one turns into two.

Attacks the stumps, on a good length, Dian Forrester waits on it and dabs it to short third.

Back of a length, outside off, Dian Forrester looks to smash it to the off side, but the ball kicks up a bit and beats his angled bat.

WIDE! Tries the slower bumper, but it is down leg. Forrester gets inside the line to pull, but misses. Wide called. Tom Latham is not so happy with the decision, but nothing doing.

 OUT! HIGH UP AND CAUGHT! That's a sensational catch from Lockie Ferguson, given for how long it stayed in the air. On a good length around off, another slower one and Dian walks straight into the trap. Clears the front leg and swings hard, looking to go downtown, but only manages a top edge. The ball balloons towards deep backward square leg, where Ferguson judges it very nicely. He gets under it and takes it safely. Important wicket for the Kiwis as the Proteas slip further down to 89/6, needing 87 from 44 balls.

A low full toss around off, Coetzee leans into it and drives it to the left of deep backward point, picking up a couple.

OUT! IN THE AIR AND TAKEN! Clever execution from Sears as he picks up his third. The chase is going absolutely nowhere for the tourists. Good length around off and angling in, Coetzee stays deep in the crease and looks to muscle it into the leg side, but the bat face turns on impact. It goes mistimed to deep mid-wicket, where McConchie crouches low and takes a comfortable catch. South Africa are 91/7, chasing 176.

Floats it full and on off, Dian leans on and pushes it to short cover.

Pulls the length back, outside off, Forrester cuts it to deep point for a single.

SIX! SAILS JUST OVER! Cole drops it short and outside off. George Linde stands tall and just checks his shot, jabbing it over long off. Nick Kelly leaps to catch, but it sails over his reach for a six.

 FOUR! Stays out of reach once more! Full, flat and around off. Linde reverse sweeps it over short third. Kyle Jamieson misjudges it and it goes over his head for a boundary.

A touch full and on off, carved to the point region.

 SIX! TOP SHOT! Short and on the off stump line. George Linde picks the length early and sends it sailing high and handsome behind long on for a six. 17 runs from the over.

Slower through the air, full and on middle, swept to deep square leg for a single.

Bowls it a bit short and outside off. Dian cuts it to deep point for one more.

Gives very little room, on off, on a length. Jason Smith backs away and taps it to the point fielder. 

OUT! TOP EDGE AGAIN AND CAUGHT! Santner gets his second wicket and he continues to choke the Proteas. Offers a lot more flight on this one than the previous balls. Lands it full and in front of the middle stump. Jason Smith cannot resist himself from playing the sweep shot, but only manages a thick top edge towards short fine leg. A simple, straightforward catch for Ben Sears in the ring. South Africa are 67/5, chasing 176.

Tosses one up there, on a length, around off. Linde hangs deep in the crease and eases it wide of cover for a single.

Quickens the pace now, full and spins in from off. Dian Forrester drags his bat in front to push it straight, but gets an inside edge to the square leg region for a single. Another frugal over from Santner. A wicket and just 4 from it. Santner's figures read 3-0-19-2 so far.

At 127 clicks! James Neesham starts with a hard length delivery, outside off. Rubin Hermann slaps it to cover.

FOUR! South Africa are shifting gears now. Back of a length delivery, around off. Hermann opens up his hips and gets to free his arms. He hits it across to deep square leg for a boundary.

OUT! TAKEN! James Neesham strikes. He uses the bounce and bowls into the surface, touch wide to tempt Rubin to hit it away. Hermann flashes his blade but hits it straight then he would have liked, and picks Lockie Ferguson at deep point, who dives forward and holds onto it. South Africa lose their fourth wicket inside 10 overs.

Hard length delivery, wide outside off. Dian Forrester jabs it away to deep point for a single.

Short in length and around off at 127 clicks. Smith works it across to deep square leg for a single.

FOUR! Oh, the boundary of the last ball ruins a pretty good over. Half-a-chance here. Pitches into the deck and bowls it outside off. Dian Forrester stands tall and cuts it aerially, to the right of diving point fielder for a boundary. 

This is full and outside off. Smith taps with soft hands to short third man for a single.

Not that short, this is on top of middle. Rubin Hermann crutches low and hits it down to long on for a single.

Sharp single! On a nagging length and around off, nipping in. Smith edges it back onto the pads. The batter calls for a quick single as the ball rolls around the corner on the off side. Ben Sears runs in and kicks at the batter's end but misses.

Rolls his fingers on it as Sears hits the deck hard, outside off. Hermann waits on his toes and drops it to point.

Similar delivery from Sears, this is outside off. Hermann finds the gap at cover and runs across.

A bit too full and around off. Smith punches it straight to point.

Touch fuller and on middle. Jason Smith sweeps it to deep square leg for a single.

Mitchell Santner bowls a bit wider, outside off and turning in. Rubin Hermann works it square on the leg side for one.

The arm ball, comes from wide of the crease and around off. Smith punches it to cover for one more.

Good length delivery, outside off. Rubin Hermann takes a step down and knocks it past cover for a run.

FOUR! IN THE GAP! Fractionally short from Santner, quicker and outside off. Hermann picks the length, gets inside the line and pulls it to deep mid-wicket for a boundary.

SIX! Quick hands from Rubin. Santner drags his length and bowls it around off, spinning in. Rubin Hermann quickly judges the length and powers it over long on for a six. 13 runs off the over. 50 is up for the Proteas.

OUT! Soft dismissal! South Africa can't catch a break. Cole McConchie floats it full and on middle, shoots a bit off the surface. Tony de Zorzi gets on his knee to sweep inside the line, but top edges it to short fine leg, where Josh Clarkson takes a dolly. 29/0 becomes 31/3 for the Proteas. They need 145 more runs from 83 balls.

Tossed up, full and on off. Jason Smith punches it to mid off for a single.

Looped up, fuller and on middle. Rubin Hermann eases it to the left of Cole, who dives and gets a hand on it but parries it behind for a single.

Missed completely. Nicely tosses up the off-breaker, touch fuller and outside off. Smith looks to sweep but misses.

FOUR! A rare off delivery from Cole McConchie. A half-tracker, well outside off. Smith goes back, opens up his body and pulls it flat over square leg for a boundary.

Fuller-length delivery on middle. Smith flicks it to square leg for a single and retains the strike.

Tossed up, full and outside off. Wiaan Mulder leans and punches it to cover.

An arm ball, fuller and on middle. Wiaan Mulder stays inside the line and plays it to Santner.

Another dot! Mitchell Santner slows up the pace and bowls it touch short, around off and comes with the arm. Wiaan Mulder goes back to cut it away but misses as the ball rolls just over the stumps.

OUT! TAKEN! The pressure was piling up on Wiaan Mulder, clearly. Slightly short, slower through the air and around off, gets slightly big on Wiaan Mulder as he tries to cut it off the back foot but slices it to cover, where Devon Conway takes a simple catch. New Zealand bossing the Powerplay so far. South Africa are 29/2, chasing 176.

Slightly quicker, fuller and on leg. Rubin Hermann leans to flick it away but gets a leading edge, behind point for a single.

Length delivery, outside off. Tony fends it away to deep mid-wicket for a run. The Powerplay is done, South Africa are 31/2, needing 145 runs in 84 balls.

Hits the hard length, on top of off, Connor Esterhuizen bunts it back to the bowler.

That took off like a flight. Way too short, climbing over head height of the batter. Connor lets it be. Tom Latham launches himself to collect it with his left hand. Manages to get a glove on it but parries it behind for a bye.

Back of a length, outside off, Wiaan Mulder square cuts it to the left of the diving backward point fielder. Josh Clarkson from deep third runs across to his right and slides to save two for his side. The replays confirm that no part of Clarkson's body was in contact with the ropes with the ball in hand.

Short and slow, on middle, Mulder stands tall and pulls it to deep mid-wicket for a single.

OUT! TAKEN! New Zealand have their first wicket through Sears. A length ball from Sears, outside the off stump line. Connor Esterhuizen gets on the toes, and attempts to cut it over backward point, but fails to get under the ball properly. Ends up offering a simple catch to Tim Robinson in the inner ring. Tim leaps a bit and takes it over his head with a reverse cup. South Africa are 29/1, needing 147 more runs.

Nips back in from off, on a length. Tony de Zorzi inside edges onto the back pad and the ball rolls to the off side.

Slants across the batter by taking all the pace off, on a short length. Tony de Zorzi taps it to the off side.

 Play and a miss​​​​​​! Back of a length, zips over middle, Connor Esterhuizen backs away to slash but misses a sharp, pacy delivery.

 And again! Hard length, far outside off. Connor Esterhuizen stands tall to smash it past cover-point, but fails to connect.

 SIX! Just over! Full from Lockie, on the stumps. Connor Esterhuizen plays with a vertically angled bat and lofts it downtown. The ball lands on the boundary ropes on the full and goes for a six.

A toe-crushing yorker, on leg. Connor Esterhuizen is a bit too late to jam the bat down in time and it deflects to the leg side off his front boot.

Another yorker attempted, on off, Connor Esterhuizen carves it wide of mid off for a quick single.

 CHANCE BUT PUT DOWN! An excellent effort by Ferguson, nonetheless! Back of a length, slanted onto the stumps. Wiaan Mulder plays from the crease and chips the ball back at the bowler from the upper part of the bat. Lockie Ferguson sticks out his right hand on the follow-through, gets fingertips on it, and it drops down.

On a back of a length, jagging back in from off. Wiaan Mulder is pinned in the crease, looks to flick it to the leg side, but gets slammed on the back thigh.

 SIX! Connects, and connects so well! Jamieson bangs it short on top of off. Wiaan Mulder nails the pull shot to perfection, and the ball disappears out of the ground behind deep mid-wicket. It lands on the road and luckily, it doesn't hit any of the moving cars out there.

Sharp bumper, outside off. Wiaan Mulder shapes up to pull it to the leg side, but fails to put bat on the ball as it nips away.

Fuller one now, at 129.4 kph, on middle and leg. Wiaan Mulder flicks it along the ground, through square leg for a couple of runs.

Undone​​​​​​! That stays underground and jags back in from a length, on top of off. Wiaan Mulder is outfoxed by the lack of bounce and is beaten on the pull shot.

 INSIDE EDGE, FOUR! Lucky, very lucky! Lands it in thereabouts of the off stump, on a tad fuller length. The ball cuts back in prodigiously as Wiaan Mulder looks to drive it to cover, but gets a thick inside edge past the stumps. The ball beats the diving keeper to his left and bullets away to the fence behind.

Inswinger full and on off, Connor Esterhuizen drives it nicely off the front foot, but straight to the cover-point fielder.

Sharp nip-backer at 138.4 kph, on a length. Connor Esterhuizen is cramped up for space as he tries to block off the back foot. The ball beats the inside edge, deflects off the back thigh and rolls to the right of the first slip for a leg bye.

Drives the full ball crisply but cannot get it past the cover fielder.

Slams the deck really hard, outside off, Wiaan Mulder presses back and cuts it to backward point. So far, so good by Lockie.

Another dot! Back of a length, nibbling away far outside off. Wiaan Mulder has a big slash at it, but the ball whistles over his angled bat.

At a ballistic pace, short and onto the pads. Wiaan Mulder is hurried onto the back foot, gets across, but misses to glance it to the leg side. The ball deflects off the thigh pad and rolls behind to deep fine leg. They get a leg bye.

 BEATEN! Swing straightaway for Jamieson as this shapes away, full and outside off. Wiaan Mulder is invited to play at it. He tries to drive past cover, but the ball keeps moving away from him and beats the edge.

Play and a miss! Bangs it short and outside off. It climbs further after pitching. Wiaan lines up to pull, but misses to connect.

Oh, this one skids and nips back in on the leg stump. Wiaan Mulder is rushed on the back foot, but controls the pull shot to deep backward square leg for a single. South Africa and Mulder are off the mark in the chase.

Microscopic outswing, full and around off. Connor Esterhuizen watches it closely and taps it to backward point.

Full and with a little bit of away shape, on the fifth stump. Connor Esterhuizen presses in front and drives it to short cover.

WIDE! A bit too straight this time around, going down leg on a length. Connor misses the flick. Wide called.

Fractionally full, nipping away outside off. Connor Esterhuizen pushes at it with no footwork and gets a thick outside edge. The ball squirrels behind to the left of deep third. Cole McConchie slides to cut it off. A single taken. So just 3 from the opening over. South Africa need 173 runs from 114 balls.