NZ vs SA | Match Introduction
NZ vs SA , 1st November 2023, an extremely important match of the World Cup between New Zealand and South Africa was played at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune. New Zealand’s captain, Tom Latham, won the toss and decided to field.
Here are the playing elevens for both teams
South Africa (Playing XI):
- Quinton de Kock (w)
- Temba Bavuma (c)
- Rassie van der Dussen
- Aiden Markram
- Heinrich Klaasen
- David Miller
- Marco Jansen
- Gerald Coetzee
- Keshav Maharaj
- Kagiso Rabada
- Lungi Ngidi
New Zealand (Playing XI):
- Devon Conway
- Will Young
- Rachin Ravindra
- Daryl Mitchell
- Tom Latham (w/c)
- Glenn Phillips
- James Neesham
- Mitchell Santner
- Matt Henry
- Tim Southee
- Trent Boult
First Innings of NZ vs SA: Batting Brilliance and Bowling Mastery
Quinton de Kock and Temba Bavuma opened the innings for South Africa, initiating a slow yet effective start. Bavuma got out quickly, but then Rassie van der Dussen came in and played a fantastic inning alongside Quinton de Kock.
Both scored centuries and succeeded in playing an important inning for South Africa. De Kock played a magnificent innings of 114 runs off 116 balls, which included 3 stylish sixes and 10 fours.
Alongside him, Rassie van der Dussen showcased an outstanding performance, scoring 133 runs off 118 balls, comprising 5 big sixes and 9 stylish fours. They started a bit slowly, but after the first 30 overs, their batting performance for South Africa became exceptional. In the last 20 overs, they played remarkably well.
Adding to their performance was David Miller’s fantastic quick fifty, scoring just 30 balls with 4 big sixes and 2 fours in his innings, amassing a score of 53 runs off 30 balls.
Aiden Markram’s innings concluded with a fantastic six on the last ball, contributing to South Africa setting a substantial total of 357 runs on the board.
As for New Zealand’s bowling, it wasn’t particularly exceptional. Tim Southee took 2 wickets but conceded 77 runs in his 10 overs.
Second Innings of NZ vs SA: The Chase Begins
In the second half, New Zealand’s team remained under pressure right from the start. Chasing such a massive total, their decision to field after winning the toss turned out to be highly incorrect, which led to New Zealand starting on the back foot.
They quickly lost wickets and continued to struggle. Only three players managed to reach double figures – Glenn Phillips with 60 runs off 50 balls, Will Young with 33 runs off 37 balls, and Daryl Mitchell with 24 runs off 30 balls.
Towards the end of the innings, Glenn Phillips managed to score a few more runs to reach his fifty, which provided some relief to the team, or else they would have been all out earlier.
Due to South Africa’s excellent bowling, the entire New Zealand team was all out for just 167 runs in 35.3 overs. It was a spectacular win for South Africa, primarily due to their devastating bowling performance.
Every South African player contributed well in their bowling. Keshav Maharaj took 4 wickets, giving away 46 runs in 9 overs, while Marco Jansen also took 3 wickets, conceding just 31 runs in 8 overs, including a maiden over.
South Africa performed exceptionally in batting, bowling, and fielding, winning by a significant margin. They secured two crucial points under their name due to this victory.
Key Performances: Stars of the Match
Due to Rassie van der Dussen’s outstanding batting performance, he was awarded the Player of the Match. He played an exceptional innings, comprising 5 huge sixes and 9 beautiful fours. Alongside him, Quinton de Kock also scored a century. Keshav Maharaj took 4 wickets in bowling, but it was Rassie van der Dussen’s brilliant inning that earned him the Player of the Match award.
Game-Changing Moments: Turning the Tide
Rassie van der Dussen’s incredible batting was the reason for setting such a huge total, but it was Keshav Maharaj’s superb bowling that led the team to victory. His wicket-taking and putting pressure on New Zealand were game-changing moments.
When Keshav Maharaj took Daryl Mitchell’s wicket, it put New Zealand under immense pressure once again, causing them to mentally concede in some way.
Fan Reactions and Social Buzz
The celebration of South Africa’s victory was widely observed, especially in Pakistan, as it significantly benefited Pakistan. New Zealand’s net run rate decreased, enhancing Pakistan’s chances of qualifying for the tournament’s semi-finals.
This is why the South African team and its players were trending on social media in Pakistan, receiving substantial support and prayers from Pakistani fans and babar azam in this match. Overall, it was a good match that resulted in a significant loss for the New Zealand team.
