Proteas Head Into Super Eight Unblemished After Stylish Victory Over UAE
The Proteas made light work of the United Arab Emirates as they meandered to a score of 122 for the loss of six wickets, allowing SA to chase the score with ease and win by a comfortable margin of six wickets with forty balls to spare.
After playing all their games in Ahmedabad, the Proteas had a change of scenery as this game was taken to the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi.
Having already secured qualification for the Super Eight, South Africa rang the changes for their final group stage fixture as Jason Smith, George Linde, Anrich Nortje, and Kwena Maphaka all came into the fold for some much-needed game time.
Aiden Markram won the toss and sent the opposition in to bat first on what he called a tacky pitch.
The UAE got off to a good start, particularly in the third over, where they took on Kagiso Rabada in an over that reaped 14 runs and was blighted by Quinton de Kock dropping Aryansh Sharma in what can only be described as a dolly.
By the time George Linde dismissed captain Muhammad Waseem, the UAE already scored 38 at just under nine to the over in what was a healthy start.
That was to be their best effort where run-rate was concerned, as the South Africans would gradually peg them back despite some clangers in the field.
The ever-reliable and somewhat underrated Corbin Bosch then got in the thick of things – the pick of the bowlers for South Africa – dismissing both Sharma and Sohaib Khan before claiming Muhammad Arfan as his third and final victim of the innings.
Anrich Nortje also troubled the batters, first getting the struggling Syed Haider, before dismissing top-scorer Alishan Sharafu for 45, both in a similar fashion and both in the safe hands of Maphaka.
UAE got just 20 runs and lost two wickets in the last four overs – symbolic of the innings that didn’t really go anywhere.
UAE – 122/6
Alishan Sharafu 45 (38 balls), Muhammad Waseem 22 (12 balls)
Corbin Bosch 3/12 (4 overs), Anrich Nortje 2/28 (4 overs), George Linde 1/17 (4 overs)
The Protea batters might have all been disappointed with the manner of their dismissals – all hitting out once they appeared to find their rhythm and getting bat nicely on the ball.
With no scoreboard pressure, the South African openers saw off the offspin of Dhruv Parashar in the first over and latched onto the pace from Junaid Siddique in the second.
Haider Ali grabbed the ball in the third over, and Markram tore into him, dispatching him for 18 runs off the first five balls, before Ali had the last laugh, bowling Markram as he attempted another heave.
Muhammad Jawadullah had his first two balls of the innings smashed for four by Ryan Rickelton before the strike was rotated, and de Kock could not resist the temptation of a short and wide one, in the grateful hands of Haider at deep backward point.
Of all the batters, Rickelton looked the most comfortable and at ease with conditions – hitting Muhammad Farooq for two sixes in three balls – before being rushed into his next shot and succumbing at deep square leg for a lovely 30 off 16 balls.
Dewald Brevis looked like the man to take South Africa home, but also found himself attempting one big shot too many, miscuing one that saw him caught by Harshit Kausik, running in from long-off.
In the end, it was Tristan Stubbs and Jason Smith who took South Africa to victory with 40 balls remaining as they headed into the Super Eights unbeaten.
SOUTH AFRICA – 123/4
Dewald Brevis 36 (25 balls), Ryan Rickelton 30 (16 balls), Aiden Markram 28 (11 balls)
Muhammad Arfan 1/16 (2 overs)
