South Africa survive Nepal scare in T20 World Cup, finish with 4/4

South Africa progressed to the Super 8s stage with a clean slate but not before surviving a scare against Nepal, who were on the verge of creating an upset for most part of the match.

Nepal exited the tournament, but not without their head held high.

The Nepalese, at one point, needed 17 runs off 16 balls with seven wickets in hand. However, two quick wickets in the 18th over, of Dipendra Airee and top-scorer Aasif Sheikh (42 off 49 balls), and another at the start of 19th, brought the game in balance from where the Proteas snatched victory.   

Nepal needed two to win off the last ball, and one to take it to Super Over, with Gulsan Jha on strike. Jha couldn’t connect and the ball went to the wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock, who threw the ball to the bowler Ottneil Baartman to hit the stumps and catch Jha short.

“We are very proud of the unit, especially the way we bowled and batted. We saw the wicket (on June 13) and thought it will be on the slower side. We saw that it helped spinners and that is when we introduced Kushal Bhurtel and carried on with the spinners,” said Nepal captain Rohit Paudel.  

“We were so close yet a little far. We didn’t do well in the crunch moments but we fought very well.”

Left-arm wrist spinner Tabraiz Shamsi, who got the Player of the Match award for his 4/19, was relieved after the game.  

“Definitely relieved, we came here with the goal of finishing this stage 4 out of 4. Little bit closer than we’d like,” he said after the match.

“Anywhere we go in the Caribbean I assume there’s going to be turn,” he added.

T20 World Cup, Cricket, South Africa, Nepal