JOIN USJP Duminy blasted an unbeaten 86 and Dale Steyn bowled a sensational last over as South Africa pulled of a dramatic two-run win over New Zealand to bring their ICC World Twenty20 campaign back on track here on Monday.
Riding on Duminy’s blistering knock, South Africa collected 70 runs in the last five overs and posted a challenging 170 for six after being put in to bat in their Group 1 match.
The left-hander single handedly took his side to a formidable total as he hit 10 fours and three sixes in his 43-ball innings.
The Kiwis were cruising towards the target with Ross Taylor (62) and Kane Williamson (51) batting superbly but leg-spinner Imran Tahir (2/27) and Steyn (4/17) took wickets at key moments to turn the tide in South Africa’s favour.
New Zealand needed seven runs off the last over, in which Steyn scalped two batsmen, effected a run out and conceded just one boundary as the Kiwis ended at 168 for eight.
Steyn was too hot to handle for the Kiwi batsmen as he removed Luke Ronchi off the first ball. He next bowled two dot balls, conceded a four on the fourth and dismissed Nathan McCullum on the fifth. Taylor was at the strike with his side needing three to win off the last ball but he could just connect the ball and ended up running himself out.
South Africa had lost their first match to Sri Lanka while New Zealand had defeated England.
The Kiwis had a steady start with openers Williamson and Martin Guptill (22) raising a 57-run stand in seven overs.
Williamson was the chief aggressor as he broke the shackles by punishing pacer Morne Morkel. Williamson smashed Morkel for a six and two fours to collect 16 runs from the fifth over.
Guptill then creamed off three boundaries in the next over bowled by Lonwabo Tsotsobe.