न्यूजीलैंड vs दक्षिण अफ्रीका, पांचवां टी-20, हैग्ली ओवल, क्राइस्टचर्च, 25 March 2026 - लाइव कमेंट्री

OUT! CAUGHT BEHIND! Very full, down leg. James Neesham looks to flick it away but misses. It is given as a wide but South Africa have reviewed it. They feel there is some part of the blade. Okay, James Neesham is already walking away and crosses the ropes as UltraEdge confirms a spike. A nothing delivery from Wiaan Mulder but somehow finds a wicket. 

Back of a length on middle. Kyle Jamieson punches on the up to mid off for a couple of runs.

Short of a length, around off. Kyle Jamieson pulls it away to deep mid-wicket for a single.

Leg bye! Serves a pace off delivery, full and on leg. Zakary Foulkes looks to flick but misses and it rolls off the pads to point for a leg bye.

Bowls a bouncer, on middle and leg. Kyle Jamieson looks to pull but misses.

Very full and outside off. Kyle Jamieson guides it to deep point for a single. SOUTH AFRICA WIN BY 33 RUNS AND TAKE THE SERIES.

Short of a length, around off. Clarkson stands tall and pulls it to deep mid-wicket for a couple. 

OUT! TAKEN! A scrambled seam delivery, very full and outside off. Clarkson tries to take on the vacant square leg region by moving across but ends up miscuing it to cover. Tony de Zorzi takes a simple catch. 

Short of a length, around off. Cole McConchie pulls it to deep square leg for a single.

Oh, it was there to be hit. A full toss, around off. James Neesham chips it to mid off where Keshav Maharaj picks up on a bounce. Just a single.

OUT! TAKEN! Second wicket for Gerald Coetzee. Back of a length delivery, around off. Cole McConchie tries to muscle it away but ends up finding Wiaan Mulder at long on. A simple catch in the deep. 

FOUR! Good shot! On a good length, around off. Zakary Foulkes gets inside the line and paddles it over short fine leg for a boundary.

FOUR! Picked it up well. Pace off, fuller delivery, around off. Clarkson waits and hammers it down to long on and it races to the fence.

A yorker, just outside off. Clarkson opens the bat face and guides it to short third man for a run.

Ottneil Baartman pitches it up, close to the off pole. James Neesham squeezes it out through covers for a brace.

FOUR! The skipper is keeping the hopes alive. Length delivery, outside off. James Neesham frees his arms and hammers it down to long off for a boundary.

Wide! Too short, down leg. James Neesham lets it be.

Leg bye! A full toss, onto the hip pads. James Neesham fails to hit it away. It rolls off the pads to square leg for a leg bye. 

Pushes it full and angling around off. Clarkson bends low and hits it down to long on for a single. 

A slower length delivery, outside off. James Neesham clears his front leg and miscues his cut shot on the off side for a single.

Bangs it short and outside off, it shoots off the deck. Clarkson looks to pull but misses.

Another dot! A skiddy length delivery on middle. Clarkson steps down and swings hard but misses. The ball bounces just over the stumps.

Short in length, outside off. Clarkson again charges down and ramps it to deep point for a run.

Well bowled! A bumper, across the batter, sticking into the surface. James Neesham tries to whack it away but ends up placing it to cover.

Superb over under pressure by Gerald Coetzee. Shorter delivery on middle. James Neesham looks to pull but misses.

Short of a length, around off. James Neesham pulls it to deep mid-wicket for a single.

FOUR! Beats the fielder! Tad fuller, around off. Jacobs stands tall and powers it over cover. The long off fielder runs across but in vain. These two have added 52 runs in 30 balls.

A yorker delivery, angling on leg. Jacobs fails to get down quickly and gets hit on the boots. A muted appeal for LBW, clearly going down.

OUT! TAKEN! The 50-run stand is broken! Jacobs had no option but to go after everything. Back of a length, around off. Jacobs tries to force his shot with the angle over long on but fails to hit it cleanly. Dian Forrester at long on takes a simple catch. South Africa needed this wicket badly.

Hard length delivery on middle. Josh Clarkson tries to fend it away but misses and it lobs off the pads to point.

FOUR! Nicely played! Shorter delivery, width on offer outside off. Josh Clarkson opens the bat face and steers it through backward point for a boundary.

SIX! HIT AWAY! Pushes it full and well outside off. Jacobs uses the width to free his arms, he launches it over cover. Just over the fielder there for a six. 100 is up for New Zealand. 

SIX! AND AGAIN! Floats it very full and in the slot. Jacobs picks it up off his pads and whips it behind square leg for a biggie. 

Slows up the pace, bowls it flat and outside off. Jacobs flat-bats it to long off for a single.

CHANCE! Gerald Coetzee makes a mess of it! Tossed up, fuller and on middle. James Neesham slogs with the turn but top edges it to square leg. George Linde did not look comfortable as he gets underneath and fails to even grasp the ball. 

FOUR! Well played! Looped up, fuller and around off. James Neesham launches it down the ground to long off for a boundary.

James Neesham keeps the strike as he plays this fuller delivery through covers for a single.

A bit short and around off. James Neesham gets low and pulls it to deep mid-wicket for a couple. The fielder runs to his right and dives to stop it.

Flatter delivery, around off. James Neesham steers it behind point for a single.

Prenelan Subrayen targets the legs of Jacobs as he serves it on leg. Jacobs misses his swing and it rolls off the pads to short third man.

Too full and around off. Jacobs punches it down to long off for a single.

Flatter delivery, outside off. James Neesham crunches it to deep cover for a single.

Into the surface, tad short and around off. Jacobs strokes it to cover for one. An ecnomical spell from Prenelan Subrayen (4-0-22-0) comes to an end.

Bye! Lovely delivery. A good length delivery, outside off and nipping back in sharply. Jacobs tries to go downtown but misses and the ball makes a lte movement, past the off pole and to the left of the keeper for a bye.

Pushes it full and onto the stumps. James Neesham solidly defends.

Back of a length, around off. Neesham guides it away to point.

Bangs it short and on leg. James Neesham shuffles across and pulls it past mid-wicket for a single.

Nagging length delivery, jagging back in on middle. Jacobs clips it between square leg and mid-wicket for a couple.

FOUR! Glorious shot! Pitched up, outside off. The tall Jacobs picks up nicely as he lifts it over extra-cover for a one-bounce four. 

Darted in, short and on middle. Neesham drops it towards square leg for a single.

Short and turning into the pads. Jacobs looks to tickle it fine. Gets an inside edge onto the pads and it dribbles towards short fine leg. Ottneil Baartman dives to his right there and gets a hand on it. The ball slows down before the ropes and Baartman hauls it in. Jacobs collects three.

Just short! A bit short, on off, Neesham pumps it down the ground but fails to get the desired elevation. Hits it flat to long on, where Wiaan Mulder runs in off the ropes and dives forward but the ball does not carry. He does well to gather the ball on the half-volley. Just a single.

Short and flat, on middle. Bevon pats it back to the bowler.

On a nagging length, on middle. Bevon backs away and pushes it to long off for one.

A hint of turn, on a length, on off. Neesham steers it to backward point.

FOUR! Hit hard and wide enough! Fractionally short, on middle and leg. Nick Kelly goes on the back foot in a flash and hammers the pull wide of deep mid-wicket. The fielder in the deep is not far away but the ball skips across the turf and he is beaten to his left.

OUT! DRAGGED ON! Nick Kelly could never really get going. Maharaj pushes it through, on the shorter side, on middle and leg. Kelly hops back for the pull again but the ball skids through to catch the inside edge and it goes on to hit the leg pole. New Zealand are 69/4, needing 119 runs in 58 balls.

Floated up, on leg, Neesham defends it out.

On the off stump, full in length. Neesham stabs it down.

Full and on the pads. This is eased wide of mid-wicket for a run.

SIX! Straight as an arrow! Flighted delivery from around the wicket, full and on middle. Jacobs takes a step towards the ball and launches it towards the sight screen with a clean swing of the arms.

Bowls it flat and short, on middle. Kelly punches it to deep cover for one.

Sliding across the right-hander from around the wicket. A tentative prod by Jacobs and he is beaten on the outside edge.

Short and around the hips. Jacobs turns it behind square leg for a run.

Floated around off, Nick Kelly backs away and punches this to short covers for a dot. 

Quicker one, full and wide outside off, Nick Kelly tries to muscle it through the covers but gets beaten. 

This keeps coming in with the angle, on a length. Kelly taps it to long on for one.

Tossed up, fuller and around off. Nick Kelly crunches it through covers for a single.

Keeps it full and around off. Robinson hits it down to long off for a single.

Attacks the stumps with a fuller delivery. Nick Kelly punches it to cover.

Looped up a bit, fuller and on middle. Nick Kelly eases it down to long on for a single.

OUT! RUN OUT! South Africa have a breakthrough. Keshav Maharaj tosses it up, touch fuller, outside off and turning away. Robinson tries to lift it over cover but slices it over Tony de Zorzi there. The batter calls for two, but Jason Smith from deep runs in, picks up and throws it at the batter's end. Robinson dives but he looks short to the naked eye. The replay loads and shows Robinson was well out of his crease. 

Sliding on with the arm from around the wicket, full and on middle. Jacobs drives it back to Maharaj. New Zealand need 126 runs in 66 balls.

Prenelan Subrayen serves it short, following the batter on the leg side. Nick Kelly steps back and hammers it through covers for a brace.

Serves it full and around off. Nick Kelly knocks it down to long off for a single.

Prenelan Subrayen attacks the stumps with a fuller delivery. Robinson makes room to go inside-out but miscues his shot, back to the bowler.

Angles it full and on middle. Robinson nudges it to mid-wicket for a single.

Call is for two, they settle with a run. Prenelan follows Kelly on the leg side with a shorter delivery. Kelly mistimes his pull shot to mid-wicket for a single.

A bit too full and on off. Robinson sweeps it wide of deep square leg for a couple of runs. 

Wide! Linde slides it very full and down leg. Robinson looks to sweep but misses.

Fuller delivery, around off. Robinson leans and drives it to long off for a single.

Pushes it full and in line of the stumps. Nick Kelly watchfully blocks it out.

Slightly short and around off, turning in. Nick Kelly cuts it to deep point for a single.

Drops it full and around off, skids a bit. Robinson works off the outer half of the blade to cover for one. 50 is up for New Zealand.

Flat and on middle, holds its line. Nick Kelly makes room and cuts it hard but straight to cover.

A bit too full and on off, Nick Kelly nudges it to mid-wicket and calls for two but as he turns back near the non-striker's end, he slips. They settle with a run.

Shaping back into the right-hander, on a good length, on middle and leg. Dane Cleaver shuffles across to the off side for the scoop but misses. The ball bounces over the stumps.

At the sticks, on the fuller side. Cleaver gives the bowler the charge and goes hard at it. Miscues it off an inside edge to deep mid-wicket for one.

Full and around the off stump. Robinson shimmies across the sticks and brings his bottom hand into play. The bat turns in his hand but he manages to get it away to the right of mid-wicket. The deep fine leg fielder sprints to his left and prevents the boundary. Three runs taken.

OUT! IN THE AIR AND GONE! Ottneil Baartman strikes in his first over. He keeps it full, around off. Dane Cleaver walks across the stumps and takes the risk of going across the line. The ball straightens a touch after landing to take the leading edge. It is skied towards point, where Jason Smith makes no mistake this time. He settles under it and takes the catch close to his chest.

On a hard length, over middle. Kelly rides the bounce and stabs it down on the off side.

A play and a miss! Going across off, on a length, Kelly stays on the back foot but exposes all three stumps to get it through the off side. The ball leaves him with the angle to beat him on the outside edge. At the end of Powerplay, New Zealand are 46/2, needing 142 runs in 84 balls.

Floated up, around off. Dane brings out the reverse but fails to connect. He gets rapped on the pads but well outside the line of the off stump.

Wide! Sprayed down leg, full in length. Dane Cleaver sweeps but misses.

Wide! Fired down leg again, Cleaver fails to get the sweep away. Wide given.

Good stop! Shorter and on off, a bit of extra bounce. Dane hops back to punch it away. Jason Smith slides to his left at extra cover and cuts it off. Just a single.

Nearly sneaked through! This keeps sliding on with the arm, at the sticks. Tim goes back to a full ball but manages to keep it out.

Low full toss, on middle. Robinson knocks it to long off and gets to the other end.

Wide! Slows it down, full and down leg. Dane gets down on a knee for the sweep but does not connect. Third wide of the over.

This spins away, on a good length, on off. Dane rocks back to punch it away but mistimes it to cover.

Rapped on the pads! Full and attacking the front pad. Dane takes a step across the stumps to flick it away. Ekes out an inside edge onto the pads and picks up a single as the ball goes away on the leg side.

On a length, on off, Dane Cleaver walks across the stumps and plays the scoop. He gets enough bat on it to clear the backtracking Ottneil Baartman at short fine leg. Dane collects a couple of runs.

DROPPED AGAIN! Mulder bends his back and goes short, on off, Dane flays at it. Dian Forrester runs across to his left at deep backward point and extends his hands out in front but the ball drops on him. The ball clips his fingertips and goes down.

FOUR! ANOTHER CHANCE! Mulder stays short, on off. Dane makes room and throws the kitchen sink at it. The ball flies off a thickish outside edge to short third, where Gerald Coetzee leaps and sticks out his right hand over his head. He can only get fingertips to it before the ball races away.

FOUR! Easy pickings! Too straight, full and sliding onto the pads. Dane Cleaver does not miss out on putting it away. Smears it to the right of the man at short fine leg for a four.

FOUR! Nicely done! Mulder goes back to bowling it short, on off. Dane Cleaver backs away and waits for the ball to arrive. He gets under it and plays the upper cut over the keeper for a boundary.

A single to end an eventful over. Full and on middle. Dane Cleaver squeezes out an inside edge to mid on and takes a single to keep the strike. 17 runs off the over.

In the channel, on a good length, Cleaver dances down the track to go big on the leg side. Miscues it off the inner half to mid on for a single.

Not far away from crashing into the stumps! Wobble seam ball at 148 kph, on a good length, on off. Robinson stays rooted to the crease and swings for the hills. The ball cuts back in to beat the inside edge but the bounce takes it over the off stump.

Another swing and a miss! Bashes the hard length, does Coetzee, over off and middle. Tim stays leg side of the ball and has a hoick across the line, only to miss.

Around leg, on a short of a length. Tim shovels it down to deep fine leg for a run.

A sharp and quick bumper at the bodyline of the batter. Dane Cleaver ducks under it.

DROPPED! Jason Smith shells it. On top of off, on a good length. Cleaver jumps out of the crease and throws his hands at the ball. Hits it straight to cover, where the ball dips on Smith, but he had it covered as he dived forward. The ball bursts through his hands and goes behind. Single taken.

Moving away in the air, on a good length, Robinson gets on top of the bounce and punches it wide of deep cover for a couple of runs.

Tucking the batter up for room with a good-length delivery. Tim nurdles it behind square leg and crosses over.

OUT! CAUGHT BEHIND! Strangled down leg. An innocuous delivery, but Wiaan Mulder will take it. Sliding down leg, on a length. Clarke has a swing at it to get it away. The ball catches his gloves before going behind to the keeper. Connor Esterhuizen moves to his left and gobbles it up with ease. New Zealand are 11/1, chasing 188.

Leg bye! Slightly too straight, at the hips. Cleaver is beaten on the flick. The ball goes off the pads behind square leg for a leg bye.

FOUR! Stand and deliver! In and around the off stump, on a back of a length, Robinson stands tall and lofts it with a high elbow to the right of mid off for a boundary.

Into the wicket, on middle. Tim keeps it out off the back foot.

Clarke and New Zealand are away with a quick single. Gerald Coetzee hits the deck hard and gets the ball to deck away with a bit of lift from the surface. Katene rises with the bounce and drops it on the off side before hurrying to the other end.

Ouch, a painful blow! Extra bounce on display again, on a nagging length, on middle. Tim Robinson hangs back to deal with it but the ball nips back a touch to beat him on the inside edge and catches him on the box. Robinson is quick to get back up on his feet.

Fuller and a hint of away shape, on off and middle. Tim Robinson moves away from the stumps towards the leg side and has a swing across the line. Miscues it off a leading edge over point. The deep third fielder gets around and slides to push the ball away from the fence. He saves a run for his side. Tim is off the mark with three runs.

Angled into the right-hander, on a hard length. Clarke stabs it down on the leg side.

Full and on off. Katene advances and firms the drive in front of mid off for a single.

Drifting onto the pads, on the fuller side. Robinson brings his wrists into play and works it through square leg. The ball does not have enough legs to reach the fence, and the deep fine leg fielder mops it up. Three runs taken.