Watch cricket video highlights of Ireland and South Africa tour of UAE 2024. 1st T20I between IRE and SA. Venue of the match will be Abu Dhabi.
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In order to maintain their perfect record against Ireland, South Africa won the inaugural Twenty20 International and achieved the most successful chase in Abu Dhabi. Although it was technically an Irish home match, the Zayed Cricket Stadium hosted the match in order to overcome financial and infrastructural constraints in Ireland. Paradoxically, South Africa appeared to be better used to the circumstances. South Africa had adjusted to the heat after playing Afghanistan on sluggish, dry grounds in Sharjah the previous week.
Unlike in Sharjah, where there was little bounce, Abu Dhabi featured strong bounce and carry. While Ireland struggled with dew and wetness in the field, South Africa realized that full, slower balls were the best alternatives for getting wickets. Even though Ireland recorded their second-highest T20I total against South Africa, they were unable to hold the lead due to South Africa’s strikes during the powerplay and towards the conclusion of Ireland’s innings.
Almost every acceleration saw Ireland pinned back, but the innings was steadied by a fourth-wicket partnership of 59 runs off 41 balls between Neil Rock and Curtis Campher. While participating in his 100th Ireland international, Campher almost missed a half-century, finishing at 49. In response, Reeza Hendricks and Ryan Rickelton achieved significant personal milestones while sharing the third-highest first-wicket partnership in T20I history for South Africa, as well as the highest away from home.
In 15 T20I innings since the World Cup, Hendricks made his maiden fifty, and Rickelton struck a career-high 76, which included his first half-century for his country. With Rickelton striking hard and high over the legside and Hendricks executing his trademark elegant offside strokes, they made a great combination. South Africa reached the finish line with 14 balls remaining, but neither team made it.
Ross Adair, who wasn’t expected to participate in this match until Lorcan Tucker sustained an injury during practise, made the initial impression by hitting the first boundary of the innings off a short ball from Lizaad Williams over mid-on. After missing the ODIs against Afghanistan, he proceeded to take another 10 runs off Williams’ opening over of the trip and blasted Wiaan Mulder over his head for four before South Africa responded.
Aiden Markram put Tristan Stubbs on the long-on boundary, where he was well-positioned to take the catch that dismissed Ross Adair, who attempted one too many huge shots due to Adair’s power down the ground. Next, it was the turn of Ottneil Baartman, another underappreciated performer from the Afghanistan matches, who got Paul Stirling with a delivery that tilted in and went through the bat-pad gap with his third ball. South Africa, however, was unable to grab the early edge.
In his 100th international match for Ireland, Campher needed five balls to get his eye in before hitting Baartman past mid-off and two more boundaries to begin accumulating runs. After scoring 67 for 2 in Bristol in 2022, Ireland’s powerplay total of 63 for 2 was their second-best against South Africa. Nqaba Peter had to wait until the eleventh over to be called upon in his third Twenty20 International, and it was a challenging start. After dropping Campher on 17 at the end of the ninth over and misfiring to allow four at the end of the tenth, South Africa were spooked.
Campher and Neil Rock had made their peace. After hitting Peter for four in an eight-run over, Bjorn Fortuin took his place and was permitted to switch ends. Then he made a hit. As Rock attempted to sweep, Peter bowled him with a delivery that straightened, ending a partnership that threatened to take the game away. That wicket would turn out to be critical in terms of the goal Ireland ultimately set for South Africa. Ireland would have been aiming for a total over 180 at 163 for 5 after 18 overs, but a superb last few overs from South Africa’s seamers restricted them to 171.
Williams bowled the 19th over and stuck to a variety of wide yorkers while putting a wide slip in place. All Ireland could accomplish was a single goal from each ball. After that, Patrick Kruger took over and succeeded right away. Dockrell took a swing too soon and got caught off guard. Fionn Hand attempted to ramp Kruger off the following ball, but he was only able to get the ball as far as a short fine. Kruger’s hat-trick ball cost him a bye since it missed everything. Wiaan Mulder caught Mark Adair’s attempt to knock him over the off side with his last ball, which resulted in another wicket.
With Kruger taking three wickets in the last overs, South Africa gave up just eight runs in the final two overs. Aside from the overall image of South Africa’s batting difficulties versus Afghanistan, there were concerns about both opening batsmen’ form into this match. Rickelton had a best score of 27 from eight white-ball internationals, while Hendricks had only scored more than 30 in three of his previous 12 Twenty20 internationals. Did they make the best team without Quinton de Kock? Indeed, they replied as they seized the next in the powerplay by the scruff of the neck.
With consecutive boundaries off Adair, Rickelton opened the scoring and demonstrated his skill with both the short and full ball. In the first three overs, Hendricks faced just four balls, but he took full use of the opportunity when given more strike. In only six deliveries, he hit four boundaries to reach the 2000 run mark in T20I cricket. Rickelton blasted Hand for two massive sixes to cap up the powerplay. In the powerplay, South Africa was 58 for 0 against. Rickelton reached his fifty off thirty deliveries two overs later. By the midway point, South Africa was up 97 runs without a loss, and the horse had run away.
