In a thrilling encounter at the T20 World Cup, South Africa managed to edge past the United States by 18 runs in their Super Eight match, despite a valiant effort from co-hosts' batter Andries Gous. Gous’s unbeaten 80 kept USA in the hunt, but ultimately fell short.
South Africa, batting first, posted 194 for 4, driven by Quinton de Kock’s fluent 74. Contributions from Heinrich Klaasen and Tristan Stubbs, who added a critical 53-run partnership for the fifth wicket, helped set a competitive target. Saurabh Netravalkar and Harmeet Singh were the standouts for the USA with the ball, taking 2 wickets each for 21 and 24 runs, respectively.
On a pitch that favoured the batsmen, USA restricted South Africa from surpassing the 200-run mark after they were 126 for 1 in the 13th over. Quinton de Kock, registering his first fifty of the tournament, anchored the innings before Netravalkar and Harmeet’s effective spells pulled the scoring rate back. Despite their efforts, the rest of the USA bowling attack struggled to contain the South African batsmen.
In response, USA started brightly with Steven Taylor, but Kagiso Rabada’s double strike during the Powerplay brought the game back in balance. Middle overs saw Keshav Maharaj and Tabraiz Shamsi tighten the screws, yet Andries Gous, born in South Africa, played a stellar innings. His unbeaten 80, combined with a crucial 91-run partnership with Harmeet Singh for the sixth wicket, kept USA in contention. This partnership became the second-highest for the sixth wicket or lower in T20 World Cup history. However, with 28 runs required from the last two overs, Rabada and Anrich Nortje bowled tightly, ensuring South Africa’s victory and securing their first points in the Super Eight stage.
De Kock Finds Form at Last
Quinton de Kock, after a string of low scores, finally delivered, scoring 74 off 44 balls. He took his time, hitting his stride by the fourth over. His onslaught began with pulling Jasdeep Singh through midwicket, followed by three successive sixes. This set the tone for South Africa's Powerplay, ending with a strong 64 for 1. De Kock brought up his half-century with a six off Corey Anderson, eventually reaching his highest score of the tournament.
USA’s Fielding Shines Despite Mixed Bowling Performance
USA’s fielding was exemplary, with Anderson taking a crucial catch to dismiss Reeza Hendricks and Shayan Jahangir ending de Kock’s knock with a well-judged catch at cow corner. Ali Khan’s diving effort to dismiss Aiden Markram was a highlight, restricting the South African captain from pushing past 200. However, their bowling was inconsistent; while Netravalkar and Harmeet excelled, the other five bowlers conceded 148 runs in 12 overs without taking a wicket, leaking numerous boundaries and sixes.
Rabada's Experience Shines Through
Kagiso Rabada, who had a quiet group stage with only four wickets, proved his worth in this crucial match. He dismissed the aggressive Steven Taylor early and removed Nitish Kumar in his next over, leaving USA at 53 for 2 by the end of the Powerplay. In his final spell, with the USA needing 28 from 12 balls, Rabada broke the pivotal partnership by dismissing Harmeet Singh, effectively ending USA’s hopes of a comeback.
Gous’s Stand Against His Birth Nation
Andries Gous, originally from Welkom, South Africa, showcased his talent against his birth country. Having relocated to play in the Minor League Cricket in the USA just as the COVID-19 pandemic began, Gous made his international debut three months ago. In this game, he took his time to settle, hitting his first boundary off Rabada. His assault on the South African bowlers was relentless, especially targeting Marco Jansen and Nortje, whom he hit for 18 runs in four balls, including back-to-back sixes. Gous’s powerful hitting kept USA in the chase, with a half-century coming off 33 balls. He continued the fight until the end, smashing Shamsi for two successive sixes in the 18th over, but his unbeaten 80 was not enough to secure a win for the USA.
Match Summary
- South Africa: 194/4 in 20 overs (Quinton de Kock 74, Netravalkar 2-21, Harmeet 2-24)
- USA: 176/6 in 20 overs (Andries Gous 80*, Kagiso Rabada 3-18)
Upcoming Matches
South Africa remains in St Lucia to play against South Africa on June 21 in their next Super Eight match. Meanwhile, USA will travel to Barbados to face the West Indies on the same day.