HIGHLIGHTS New Zealand vs South Africa, T20I Tri-Series in Zimbabwe 2025, 5 T20- Result, Scorecard

We are back with the chase. Tim Seifert walks out with Devon Conway to open for the Kiwis. George Linde will bowl the first over of the chase for South Africa.

... The Run Chase ...

The surface doesn't favor the batters, so the Proteas' bowling unit will aim to restrict the flow of runs and pick up early wickets to put pressure on the Kiwis. If they can't do that, the Kiwis might just run away with the chase. It'll be a thrilling contest!

The Kiwi bowlers were on fire! Jacob Duffy, Adam Milne, and Mitchell Santner each picked up a couple of crucial wickets, while Will O'Rourke also chipped in with a scalp. The pace-friendly surface allowed the fast bowlers to dominate, with Michael Bracewell not even needing to be brought into the attack.

The Proteas had a mixed bag of fortunes after being asked to bat first. Rassie van der Dussen got off to a slow start, contributing 14 runs. Rubin Hermann was unfortunate to be run out. Reeza Hendricks struggled initially but redeemed himself with a quick 41. George Linde also chipped in with a valuable cameo of 23, helping the team post a competitive total.

Reeza Hendricks' gritty 41 and George Linde's quickfire 23 have helped South Africa post a competitive total of 134/8 in 20 overs.

Jacob Duffy to Nqabayomzi Peter, On a length around off, Nqabayomzi Peter swings and gets an outside edge towards third man region for a couple to close the innings. South Africa have posted 134 for 8 after 20 overs.

Jacob Duffy to Nqabayomzi Peter, A sharp bumper, on off. Nqabayomzi Peter goes for the pull but gets beaten.

Jacob Duffy to Nqabayomzi Peter, Good length around off, Nqabayomzi Peter swings at it but misses out.

Jacob Duffy to Nqabayomzi Peter, FOUR! Soapy hands on offer again and SA wouldn't mind one bit. Good length around off, Nqabayomzi Peter edges this towards the left of third man fielder. The fielder does get around but the ball goes through his grip and crashes into the fence for for.

Jacob Duffy to George Linde, Short-pitched around middle and off, George Linde hooks this to deep square for one.

Jacob Duffy to George Linde, Wide yorker, on off. George Linde goes for the reverse ramp but misses out.

Adam Milne to George Linde, Yorker on off, George Linde opens the face of his bat and guides this through backward point for a comfortable single.

Adam Milne to George Linde, Another misfield and a single turns to two. Back of a length around off, George Linde pumps this to mid on and a wayward throw allows the second.

Adam Milne to George Linde, Short-pitched, on off, George Linde cuts this towards deep point and takes two. There was never an opportunity for the second but a fumble from the fielder allowed it.

Adam Milne to Nqabayomzi Peter, On a length arond the pads, Nqabayomzi Peter flicks this to backward square leg and takes one. Peter does his job and brings Linde back on strike.

Adam Milne to Senuran Muthusamy, OUT! SIX AND GONE! On a length around off, doesn't allow Senuran Muthusamy to free his arms but he still swings at it. Gets it a bit towards the bottom of his bat and straight to Rachin Ravindra at extra cover. Senuran Muthusamy departs on 8 (4).

Adam Milne to Senuran Muthusamy, SIX! BIGGIE! On a length, angling into the batter and drifting down the leg. Senuran Muthusamy picks it up with a flick and deposits this in the stands towards the deep square leg region for a biggie to begin the 19th.

Zakary Foulkes to George Linde, Zakary nails the wide yorker, George Linde dabs this to deep third and takes two. The decision to come back for the second was a bit delayed but safe at the end.

Zakary Foulkes to George Linde, A really sharp yorker, angling into the batter and going down the leg. George Linde gets beaten all ends up but the ball missed the stumps onto the keeper.

Zakary Foulkes to Senuran Muthusamy, LEG BYE! On a length, going down the leg. Senuran Muthusamy goes for the flick, misses. Gets rocked on the pads and takes one as the ball is deflected towards square leg.

Zakary Foulkes to Senuran Muthusamy, On a length around the pads, Senuran Muthusamy flicks this towards deep backward square and takes two. Easy couple.

Zakary Foulkes to George Linde, Good length around off, Linde drops it short of the fielder at backward point and takes a quick single.

Zakary Foulkes to George Linde, Slower one, short and on off. George Linde goes for a reverse sweep at it but misses out.

Senuran Muthusamy walks in at number 9.

Jacob Duffy to Gerald Coetzee, OUT! TWO IN TWO FOR DUFFY! Jacob Duffy persists with the short-pitched ploy and Gerald Coetzee perishes to a golden duck. Short-pitched, around off. George Linde just like how Brevis was trying to do, leans back and looks for an upper cut. Gets a faint edge and the keeper makes no mistake. Tim Seifert has been clinical with the gloves.

Jacob Duffy to Reeza Hendricks, OUT! IN THE AIR AND GONE! Short and wide of off, Reeza Hendricks looks to slap this over Michael Bracewell at short cover but fails to get the elevation and hits this flat and straight to Bracewell. Reeza Hendricks throws his head backwards in disappointment as this was there to be smashed for runs.

Jacob Duffy to George Linde, Linde moves to his leg a bit early and Jacob Duffy follows him. George Linde opens the face of his bat and slices this to deep point for one.

Jacob Duffy to Reeza Hendricks, Slower bumper, around off. Reeza Hendricks drags this with a pull towards deep mid-wicket and rotates strike.

Jacob Duffy to Reeza Hendricks, Right into the block hole, on middle and leg. Reeza Hendricks jams this out.

Jacob Duffy to George Linde, Good length on off, George Linde drives this to cover for one.

Will O'Rourke to Reeza Hendricks, This shoots up on the batter after hitting something around that 6-8 m length. Reeza Hendricks does well to take off the bottom hand and block this short of extra cover.

Will O'Rourke to George Linde, On a length around middle and leg, Linde flicks this to deep mid-wicket for one.

Will O'Rourke to George Linde, WIDE! Good length, wide down the leg. George Linde flicks at it but misses. Wided.

Will O'Rourke to Reeza Hendricks, Bumper, around off. Reeza Hendricks fends this through mid-wicket for a single.

Will O'Rourke to Reeza Hendricks, FOUR! 100 up for SA in the 16th over and Reeza Hendricks has found that scoring patch all of a sudden. Good length around off, Reeza Hendricks gets right on top of the bounce and drives this all along the ground and through covers for four runs.

Will O'Rourke to Reeza Hendricks, FOUR! THAT'S CRUNCHED! Short-pitched, around middle and off, Reeza Hendricks gets behind the line of it, pull this right out of the middle of his bat and sees it crash into the boundary cushion on the bounce for four.

Will O'Rourke to Reeza Hendricks, On a length around off, Reeza Hendricks lofts this up and over cover for a couple.

Mitchell Santner to Reeza Hendricks, Short on middle and leg, Reeza knocks it down to long-on for one.

Mitchell Santner to Reeza Hendricks, Full and just outside off. Hendricks looks to push at it, and the ball takes the outer half of his bat and goes along the ground to short third man.

Mitchell Santner to George Linde, Short and quick, on middle,  Linde works it towards short mid-wicket, where the fielder misfields the ball, which allows the batters to take the single.

Mitchell Santner to George Linde, SIX! TONKED! Full and on off, Linde takes the aerial route as he lofts it high over long on for a big, big six.

Mitchell Santner to George Linde, FOUR! Full and around off, Linde goes for the drive and gets an outside edge that runs fine of the short third man as it evades him. The third man fielder puts in a chase as he runs behind the ball and dives near the boundary, but he fails to save the boundary.

Mitchell Santner to Andile Simelane, OUT! LBW! Appeal and given! As plumb as it gets! Full and quick, it's the arm ball from Mitchell Santner. Andile Simelane goes on the back foot and looks to push at it. He is slow in bringing his bat down as the ball hits his back pad. The umpire has no hesitation in raising his finger. Andile Simelane has to go.

Adam Milne to Andile Simelane, Pace off delivery, on a length, on leg stump. Simelane flicks it towards short fine leg and takes a single.

Adam Milne to Andile Simelane, Back of a length, on middle and leg. Simelane defends it back to the bowler.

Adam Milne to Andile Simelane, Full on middle, Andile pushes it into the leg side and calls for one. The non-striker sends him back as Adam Milne collects the ball and fires in a throw at the striker's end and misses. Ahh, that would have been close.

Adam Milne to Andile Simelane, Short ball banged into the surface, Andile Simelane manages to get on top of the bounce as he pulls it over short mid-wicket fielder and completes two runs. The deep mid-wicket fielder runs to his left and cuts it off.

Adam Milne to Andile Simelane, Good length on off, Andile Simelane defends it.

Adam Milne to Andile Simelane, Back of a length, around off, Andile Simelane hops on the back foot and pushes it wide of the short backward point fielder who is quick to get across and save the ball.

Rachin Ravindra to Reeza Hendricks, Short on middle, Reeza Hendricks rocks back and pulls it along the ground to the right of long on and calls for two and completes it comfortably.

Rachin Ravindra to Reeza Hendricks, Full again on middle, Reeze flicks it wide of the mid on region and calls for two. Rachin Ravindra runs behind the ball and cuts it off and fires in a throw at the non-striker's end. Andile Simelane manages to get back in time as Rachin Ravindra misses the stumps.

Rachin Ravindra to Andile Simelane, Full on leg, Andile Simelane flicks it into the leg side with soft hands for a single.

Rachin Ravindra to Andile Simelane, FOUR! LUCKY FOR Andile Simelane! Short and quick on off, Andile Simelane goes for the cut and gets an outside edge that runs along the ground to the third man region for four.

Rachin Ravindra to Reeza Hendricks, Fuller on middle, Reeza Hendricks sweeps it along the ground to deep square leg for one.

Rachin Ravindra to Reeza Hendricks, FOUR! Reeza Hendricks welcomes Rachin Ravindra into the attack with a boundary! A touch short and drifiting down leg, Reeza Hendricks helps it on its way as he pulls it behind square to the right of deep square leg for four.

Rachin Ravindra comes into the attack.

Will O'Rourke to Reeza Hendricks, Back of a length, outside off, Reeze cuts it to deep point for one.

Will O'Rourke to Andile Simelane, Full and around off, Andile drives it square of the wicket to point for one.

Will O'Rourke to Andile Simelane, Oh! Almost a run out there! Back of a length, outside off, Andile Simelane cuts it towards backward point and calls for one. The non-striker obliges but then stops midway as he sends back Andile Simelane. The fielder at backward point fires in a throw at the non-striker's end but misses.

Will O'Rourke to Andile Simelane, That one reared off the surface! Will O'Rourke bowls a short ball around off, Andile Simelane gets out of the way as the ball goes through to the wicket-keeper.

Will O'Rourke to Reeza Hendricks, Full and just outside off, Reeza Hendricks drives this one crisply through the point region for one.

Will O'Rourke to Reeza Hendricks, Good-length ball on off, Reeza pushes at it as he plays it towards mid off.

Mitchell Santner to Andile Simelane, Slower through the air, a touch fuller, turning away, Andile Simelane tentatively pushes at it and gets an outside edge that goes wide of the first slip fielder. The ball eventually evades the short third man fielder as well. Batters take two as the short fine leg fielder runs behind the ball and cuts it off.

Mitchell Santner to Andile Simelane, Short on off, Andile Simelane pushes it into the off side.

Who walks out next? Andile Simelane walks out at 6.

Mitchell Santner to Lhuan-dre Pretorius, OUT! CAUGHT! That is a very good catch from Jacob Duffy at short fine leg. And Lhuan-dre Pretorius has gifted his wicket away! Short and quick, sliding on leg stump, Lhuan-dre Pretorius clears his front leg, and hits it in the air towards short fine leg, where Jacob Duffy leaps in the air and takes a good catch.

Mitchell Santner to Lhuan-dre Pretorius, A touch short on middle and leg, Lhuan-dre Pretorius pushes it back to the bowler.

Mitchell Santner to Reeza Hendricks, Tossed up orthodox delivery, on off, Reeza Hendricks punches it off the back foot to deep extra cover for one.

Mitchell Santner to Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Quicker and a touch fuller on off, Lhuan-dre Pretorius drives it down the ground to long on for a single.

Will O'Rourke to Lhuan-dre Pretorius, LEG BYE! Hits the hard length again, going down the leg. Lhuan-dre Pretorius misses out on the flick, gets it clipped off the pads and takes one.

Will O'Rourke to Lhuan-dre Pretorius, BEAUTY! Will O'Rourke comes round the wicket and almost produces an edge. Hits the nagging length, outside off, in the corridor of uncertainty and Lhuan-dre Pretorius throws his bat at it. Gets beaten on the outside.

Will O'Rourke to Lhuan-dre Pretorius, WIDE! A perfect line for a right-hander but Lhuan-dre Pretorius is a left-handed batter and he leaves this one down the leg. Wide called again.

Will O'Rourke to Lhuan-dre Pretorius, WIDE! On a length wide down the leg, Lhuan-dre Pretorius leaves it. Wided.

Will O'Rourke to Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Back of a length on middle and off, Lhuan-dre Pretorius looks for the flick towards deep mid-wicket first up but gets beaten as the ball shaped back in a bit.

Lhuan-dre Pretorius walks in at number 5.

Will O'Rourke to Dewald Brevis, OUT! CAUGHT BEHIND! Brevis looks to get cheeky but edges one back to the keeper and has to walk back. Will O'Rourke uses his height to good effect and darts another short-pitched delivery at the batter. Dewald Brevis leans back and was looking to get cheeky with an upper cut but gets a faint edge, straight into the gloves of the keeper.

Will O'Rourke to Dewald Brevis, Good length around middle and off, Dewald Brevis smashes this towards extra cover for no run.

Will O'Rourke to Dewald Brevis, FOUR! A short ball delivered, but look at the response! Reeza Hendricks, on the backfoot, goes for an attacking punch. It's the outside edge, but the placement is impeccable, flying past the fielders for a boundary. That's power and aggression, mixed with a bit of fortune. The score moves to 52/2 at 9.1 overs, pushing the run rate up.

Mitchell Santner to Dewald Brevis, Drifting into the batter, around off. Dewald Brevis drills this through cover for one.

Mitchell Santner to Dewald Brevis, A tidy left-arm orthodox delivery, pitched up and inviting the frontfoot defense. DB leans forward, presenting a full face of the bat, pushing it gently back down the pitch. Good contact, solid defense. No runs as the ball finds its way straight to the bowler. The score remains 47/2 at 8.5 overs, with the partnership cautiously building.

Mitchell Santner to Dewald Brevis, MISHIT BUT SAFE! Full and flighted around off, Brevis makes room to smash it over covers but slices it over the infield at covers. Two runs taken.

Mitchell Santner to Dewald Brevis, Pushed through on middle and leg, Dewald Brevis looks to block at it but gets an inside edge through backward square leg and runs two.

Mitchell Santner to Reeza Hendricks, Touch quicker and fuller, Reeza Hendricks pulls this well again but this time straight to the fielder at deep mid-wicket for one.

Mitchell Santner to Reeza Hendricks, FOUR! Reeza Hendricks is slowly getting into his groove. Short of a length, angling into the batter. Reeza Hendricks rocks back and away and pulls this in the gap at deep mid-wicket's left for four runs.

Will O'Rourke to Dewald Brevis, Back of a length, touch closer to the stumps. Brevis cuts this straight towards point for a dot to end the over. Just four coming off the 8.

Will O'Rourke to Dewald Brevis, Short-pitched, wide of off. Dewald Brevis, this time doesn't offer any stroke at it and lets it sail back to the keeper.

Will O'Rourke to Dewald Brevis, Bumper, wide outside off. Dewald Brevis hops up on his toes and goes for the upper cut but misses.

Will O'Rourke to Dewald Brevis, FOUR! BREVIS IS AWAY WITH A BOUNDARY! Back of a length around off, Dewald Brevis leans back, plays this late and cuts this wide to the left of the fielder at point for a boundary.

Will O'Rourke to Dewald Brevis, A normal delivery, pitching just outside off. Brevis leans into a powerful cover drive, showcasing aggressive intent and excellent frontfoot technique. The shot, grounded and struck cleanly, oozes class but finds the fielder. No run added.

Will O'Rourke to Dewald Brevis, Short-pitched, wide of off, Dewald Brevis looks to get off the mark with a square cut but misses out.

Who walks out next? Dewald Brevis it is.

Mitchell Santner to Reeza Hendricks, OUT! RUN OUT! Pushed through on middle and leg, Reeza Hendricks flicks this towards silly mid on and Rubin Hermann backed up a bit too much. Mark Chapman runs a bit to his left and dives at it. Picks it up and throws ar the non-striker's end. Hit the bull's eye and finds Rubin Hermann short of his crease. This dismissal breaks a budding partnership of 10 runs, leaving the score at 34/2 at the end of 7 overs.

Mitchell Santner to Reeza Hendricks, WOAH! That gripped and bounced and left Reeza with no answer to it. Length dragged back a fraction, drifting in and turning away from the batter. Reeza Hendricks looks to punch this off the back foot but gets beaten.

Mitchell Santner to Reeza Hendricks, Under-cutter on middle and off, Reeza Hendricks moves to his leg and looks to punch this wide of extra cover but gets an inside edge onto the pads.

Mitchell Santner to Reeza Hendricks, Tossed up on off, Reeza Hendricks drives this well but straight at the fielder at covers.

Mitchell Santner to Reeza Hendricks, A tidy left arm orthodox delivery, spinning in gently. Reeza steps forward, pushing it defensively with solid frontfoot technique. The ball rolls safely to the fielder on the ground, no run taken.

Mitchell Santner to Reeza Hendricks, Floated around off, Reeza Hendricks guides this to short third for no run.

Jacob Duffy to Rubin Hermann, A vicious bouncer, rising sharply off the pitch. Hermann wisely decides to leave it alone, showing no intent to engage, standing his ground firmly. At the end of the 6th over, the score remains at 34/1, with the run rate holding at 5.67.

Jacob Duffy to Rubin Hermann, FOUR! A short delivery in the mix, but it's been dispatched! Rubin Hermann rocks onto the backfoot, executing a powerful pull shot. The ball flies aerially, beating the fielders with sheer timing and placement. Good contact, aggressive intent, and impeccable footwork all contribute to this boundary.

Jacob Duffy to Rubin Hermann, FOUR! GRACEFUL! Pitched-up on the pads, Rubin Hermann leans onto this and hits this right underneath his eyeline. Flicks this through the gap between mid on and mid-wicket for four runs.

Jacob Duffy to Reeza Hendricks, Slightly back of a length on the pads, Reeza Hendricks leans onto it and ilks this through square leg for a strike rotation.

Jacob Duffy to Reeza Hendricks, WIDE! On a length wide outside off, Reeza Hendricks pokes but misses. Wided.

Jacob Duffy to Reeza Hendricks, SIX! Reeza Hendricks brings the crowd to their feet with a magnificent strike to Mid Wicket! The ball, angled in from the bowler, was met with sheer aggression. Hendricks, charging down the wicket on the front foot, executed a powerful slog. The intent was clear, the contact was clean, and the timing impeccable as the ball sailed over the boundary for a massive six. This shot not only highlights Hendricks' attacking mindset but also injects momentum into the innings, taking the score to 24/1 at 5.2 overs.

Jacob Duffy to Reeza Hendricks, This Kiwi bowling attack continues to make life difficult for Reeza in particular. Back of a length, onto the pads, Reeza Hendricks looks to nudge this towards square leg but misses and gets rocked on the pads.

Adam Milne to Rubin Hermann, A crafty off cutter, significantly slower in pace, deceives the batsman. Rubin Hermann, aiming for an aggressive drive, steps onto the frontfoot but is utterly beaten by the change. No run, as the ball zips past the outside edge.

Adam Milne to Rubin Hermann, Attempted short ball from Adam Milne, aimed at the body! Rubin Hermann ducks under it and leaves it alone.

Adam Milne to Rubin Hermann, In-swinger coming in sharply, pitched up around off. Hermann steps forward, pushing it semi-attackingly but straight to mid-off. Good contact, solid frontfoot technique, but no run there. Score remains 18/1 at 4.4 overs, the partnership crawling at a slow pace.

Adam Milne to Reeza Hendricks, Good length, on off, Reeza Hendricks pushes at it, off the crease, and the ball goes towards mid on. The batters are quick to get across for a single.

Adam Milne to Reeza Hendricks, Adam hits the nagging length around off once again. Reeza Hendricks rocks back inside the crease and punches this back to the bowler. Reeza is not finding it easy out in the middle.

Adam Milne to Reeza Hendricks, Full and just outside off, Reeza Hendricks drives it crisply to cover-point. Dot ball.

Zakary Foulkes to Reeza Hendricks, Full ball, on middle, Reeza Hendricks flicks it along the ground to deep square leg for one.

Zakary Foulkes to Reeza Hendricks, Swinging out beautifully, this delivery tempts the batsman outside off. Reeza Hendricks leans into a powerful cover drive, showcasing aggressive intent and solid frontfoot technique. The ball zips off the bat, grounded through the covers, but straight to the fielder. Hendricks and Hermann are trying to stitch together a partnership, currently at a cautious 2 runs from 8 balls.

Zakary Foulkes to Reeza Hendricks, Good length on middle and off, Reeza Hendricks blocks it off the crease, back to the bowler.

Zakary Foulkes to Rubin Hermann, Zakary Foulkes bowls this one on the fuller side, on off, Rubin Hermann drives it to the right of mid off and sets off for a single. The fielder attacks the ball and has an aim at the stumps on the non-striker's end but misses by a fair bit.

Zakary Foulkes to Rubin Hermann, Good-length delivery, shaping away, just outside off, Rubin Hermann defends it to short cover.

Zakary Foulkes to Rubin Hermann, Zakary Foulkes starts from round the wicket, bowls it on a fuller length, shaping away, just outside off, Rubin Hermann pushes it to short cover.

Adam Milne to Rubin Hermann, A beautifully executed in-swinger, darting in towards off stump, elicits a semi-attacking push from Reeza Hendricks. On the backfoot, he times it well, making good contact and sending it along the ground towards mid-on for a single.

Adam Milne to Rubin Hermann, In swinger, pitching on middle and swinging into the batsman, Rubin Hermann goes onto his backfoot, executing a semi-attacking flick. The ball rolls directly to mid-wicket, no run taken. Solid technique and good contact there, but straight to the fielder.

Adam Milne to Rubin Hermann, Oh! Good ball! On a length, swinging into the left-hander, Rubin Hermann shoulders his arms to that one. as the ball goes over the middle stump. The bounce on that delivery saved Rubin Hermann there.

Who'll walk out next to bat? It is going to be the in-form batter, Rubin Hermann, out at 3.

Adam Milne to Rassie van der Dussen, OUT! BOWLED! Adam Milne delivers a masterclass with an outswinger that spells doom! The batsman, aiming for an aggressive frontfoot strike, creates room only to be utterly beaten. No contact, just the sound of the ball hitting the top of off stump. A sight for sore eyes as the stumps are disturbed, leaving the batsman bewildered. This dramatic fall brings the score to 14/1 at 2.3 overs, shaking up the early innings. Milne's delivery, swinging away yet hitting the mark, showcases the art of pace bowling at its finest.

Adam Milne to Rassie van der Dussen, FOUR! STAMP OF AUTHORITY FROM RASSIE! Short-pitched, around off, Rassie van der Dussen settles well behind this and pulls this over mid on for a boundary. The ball did not travel right from the middle of Rassie's bat but he played that well enough to lob this over the fielder and to the fence fo four.

Adam Milne to Rassie van der Dussen, An outswinger delivered, pitching on a good length and angling towards off, compelling Rassie van der Dussen into a defensive frontfoot push. The ball gracefully moves to cover, no run taken. His technique, solid as ever, showcases good contact and commendable timing, all grounded.

Adam Milne replaces Jacob Duffy (1-0-5-0) into the attack.

Zakary Foulkes to Reeza Hendricks, In-swinging delivery, pitching up and moving late into the batsman. Rassie van der Dussen pushes at it with semi-attacking intent, making good contact while on the front foot, sending it aerially but straight to the fielder. No run taken as the ball is fielded cleanly.

Zakary Foulkes to Rassie van der Dussen, A short delivery, angling into the batsman, Rassie van der Dussen goes for an aggressive pull. It's a top edge, but fortunately for him, it lands safely down to fine leg. They scamper through for a single.

Zakary Foulkes to Rassie van der Dussen, Back-of-a-length ball, skidding off the surface, moving in on leg, Dussen looks to work it into the off side but misses as the ball hits his thigh pad.

Zakary Foulkes to Rassie van der Dussen, FOUR! Rassie van der Dussen swings and swings hard at that one. A touch fuller, swinging into the right-hander, on leg, Rassie van der Dussen skips down the track and swings wildly at that one as the ball goes along the ground, to the right of deep square leg for a boundary.

Zakary Foulkes to Rassie van der Dussen, In-swinger coming in sharply, Rassie van der Dussen steps forward, charging down to meet it. He pushes it semi-attackingly, making good contact on the front foot, but it's straight to the fielder.

Zakary Foulkes to Rassie van der Dussen, In-swinger coming in sharply, Rassie van der Dussen goes on the frontfoot, pushing at it semi-attackingly. Gets an inside edge, ball rolls to the fielder. No run there.

Who'll bowl from the other end? It will be Zakary Foulkes.

Jacob Duffy to Reeza Hendricks, An outswinger delivered, angling towards cover, Rassie van der Dussen steps forward in defense. He pushes it solidly, showcasing impeccable frontfoot technique and timing, the ball grounded all the way.

Jacob Duffy to Rassie van der Dussen, A beautifully executed out swinger, pitching just outside off and moving away. Rassie van der Dussen leans into it, playing a semi-attacking flick off the back foot. The contact is clean, the ball rolls along the ground towards mid-wicket for a single. A steady start for the batting side.

Jacob Duffy to Rassie van der Dussen, An outswinger, pitched up around off, tempting the batsman. Rassie van der Dussen shows solid technique, stepping forward, deciding to leave it alone.

Jacob Duffy to Rassie van der Dussen, FOUR! A beautifully executed outswinger from the bowler, finding its way to third man. Rassie van der Dussen, on the backfoot, punches it with an attacking intent. Despite the outside edge, the placement was impeccable, sending the ball aerially past the fielders for a boundary. His footwork, shifting weight onto the backfoot, allowed for that precise placement, turning a potentially risky shot into a display of skill and power. Early in the innings, with the score moving to 4/0 at 0.3 overs, this shot not only adds runs but sends a strong message to the bowling side.

Jacob Duffy to Rassie van der Dussen, An outswinger, pitched up and tempting outside off, draws van der Dussen into a semi-attacking off drive. Good contact made on the front foot, ball rolls straight to cover. No run. Solid start in these opening overs, score remains 0/0 after 0.2.

Jacob Duffy to Rassie van der Dussen, Full and shaping away on off, Rassie van der Dussen blocks it off the crease, back towards the bowler.

The stage is set! South Africa's openers, Rassie van der Dussen and Reeza Hendricks, are ready to face the New Zealand bowlers. In an interesting move, regular opener Lhuan-dre Pretorius has been pushed down the order, likely due to his struggles at the top of the order in this series. Jacob Duffy will kick-start the proceedings, bowling the first over for New Zealand. Let's get the game underway!

Rassie van der Dussen, South African Captain, says that they wanted to bat anyway. On thoughts about the previous game, he says they were sluggish in the field in the last game and it is something they would want to improve and in general he feels they need to look at certain areas to improve in all aspects as they are deep into the tournament. He feels that at individual level they need to keep improving, keep talking. On asked about changes and combination he says that they have three spinners today and three of the pacers are taking a rest. He concludes by saying this game is a good opportunity to prepare for the finals.

New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner has opted to bowl first, citing the dry surface and favorable conditions for bowlers during the Powerplay. Santner also informed about the two changes to the team, with Zakary Foulkes and Will O'Rourke coming in for Bevon Jacobs and Matt Henry.

South Africa (Playing XI) - Reeza Hendricks, Rassie van der Dussen (C), Rubin Hermann, Dewald Brevis, Lhuan-dre Pretorius (WK), Andile Simelane, George Linde, Senuran Muthusamy, Gerald Coetzee, Nqabayomzi Peter, Kwena Maphaka.

New Zealand (Playing XI) - Tim Seifert (WK), Devon Conway, Rachin Ravindra, Daryl Mitchell, Mark Chapman, Michael Bracewell, Mitchell Santner (C), Zakary Foulkes, Adam Milne, Will O'Rourke, Jacob Duffy.

TOSS - New Zealand have won the toss and they have decided to BOWL first. 

The Black Caps have been on top form, convincingly winning both their matches against Zimbabwe and South Africa. With Matt Henry leading the charge, the Kiwi bowling unit has been nearly unbeatable. Now, it's up to the South African batters to rise to the challenge and take down the Kiwis, keeping their momentum going into the Finals. We'll find out soon enough. Stay tuned for the toss and team updates!

South Africa's batting has shown flashes of brilliance, particularly against Zimbabwe, but they fell short against New Zealand last week. Young guns Rubin Hermann and Dewald Brevis have impressed, but it's time for senior batters like Rassie van der Dussen and Reeza Hendricks to step up and lead from the front. Lhuan-dre Pretorius will also be keen to make an impact ahead of the Finals. On the bowling front, while the Proteas haven't taken many wickets, they've been stingy with their runs, with Nandre Burger, George Linde and Lungi Ngidi posting impressive economy rates.

Cricket fans, get ready for another thrilling match! The Finalists of the tri-series, South Africa and New Zealand, face off at the Harare Sports Club. Although this game is a dead rubber, both teams will look to use it as a rehearsal for the Finals or test their bench strength, aiming to keep their winning momentum going.

... MATCHDAY ...

The Tri-Nation T20I series continues to build excitement as New Zealand and South Africa meet once again, this time for the fifth match of the tournament at the Harare Sports Club. Both teams have already stamped their authority in this short series, securing their place in the final after Zimbabwe failed to register even a single win in their three matches. New Zealand remain unbeaten with two wins in two matches, while South Africa have notched up two victories from three games, where their only loss came against the Kiwis. Both sides are trying to fine-tune combinations and test their bench strength ahead of the T20 World Cup 2026. When these two sides last clashed earlier in the series, it was NZ who came out on top with a clinical 21-run win. Despite early setbacks, a masterclass innings from youngster Tim Robinson, who anchored the innings with an unbeaten 75, helped them post a competitive 173/5. Bevon Jacobs added the finishing punch with a quick-fire 44, lifting them from a mid-innings wobble. The Kiwi bowlers then took control, with Matt Henry and Jacob Duffy sharing six wickets between them, dismantling South Africa’s middle and lower order to wrap them up for 152. That performance set the tone for New Zealand's dominance in the series. New Zealand have looked solid in all departments. Tim Robinson has been the breakout star, scoring 75 not out, while Devon Conway continues to provide composure at the top. Bevon Jacobs has added depth in the finishing stages, and Mitchell Santner’s bowling changes have worked well. Duffy and Henry have been particularly impressive with the ball, combining for 9 wickets across two matches. Glenn Phillips being ruled out with a groin injury was a blow, but the squad still looks well-balanced and confident. Their consistency and ability to bounce back from pressure situations make them a formidable force going into this match and the eventual final. Meanwhile, South Africa have had flashes of brilliance but haven't yet strung together a complete performance against New Zealand. Reeza Hendricks and Lhuan-dre Pretorius have given them a decent start, and Brevis has been down the order, but their middle order needs to step up under pressure. Rassie van der Dussen has been among the runs and has managed to anchor the innings, while newcomer Rubin Hermann has played a couple of good knocks. On the bowling front, Lungi Ngidi and Kwena Maphaka have taken key wickets, while George Linde has shown promise with the ball. However, inconsistency remains a concern, especially with their batting approach against spin. They will be looking for redemption in this game before the big final. The Harare Sports Club surface has been a bit two-paced throughout the series. The pitch tends to be on the slower side, which means run-scoring isn't straightforward. Batters will need to apply themselves and show patience early on before playing their strokes. Spin is likely to play a big role again, with turn and grip expected for the slower bowlers. The weather forecast is partly sunny and dry, setting the stage for a full game. With both sides using this match as a dress rehearsal for the final, fans can expect another tactical and thrilling contest. Who will come out on top? Let’s find out soon.