Rookie pacer Ottneil Baartman delivered a stellar final over as South Africa edged out a persistent Nepal by one run in a dramatic finish to their last Group D game of the ICC Twenty20 World Cup late Friday night.
Held to 115 for seven off their 20 overs on a slow Arnos Vale Stadium pitch, exploited effectively by leg-spinner Kushal Bhurtel (4-19) and off-spinner Dipendra Singh Airee (3-21), South Africa faced the prospect of their first defeat with Nepal well placed at 85 for two in the 14th over.
However, leg-spinner Tabraiz Shamsi struck two crucial blows in a Man-of-the-Match performance, taking four wickets for 19 runs from his four overs. The 31-year-old Baartman, in only his fifth T20 International, then held his nerve in a dramatic final over with the Nepalese needing eight runs for a historic win.
“I thought Baartman executed his last two balls really well to keep us in the game, but a funny ending to how it all finished,” South Africa captain Aiden Markram said. “Sometimes you just become very grateful to get random victories like that.”
I was just there in the moment
Baartman kept Gulsan Jha scoreless from the first two deliveries, but then watched as the 18-year-old left-hander flayed the third ball to the cover boundary. A couple from the fourth ball left Nepal needing just two runs from the last two deliveries, but Baartman prevailed. Gulsan was run out off the final ball after missing a swing at the delivery and then finding himself well short of his ground at the non-striker’s end while attempting a desperate single.
“I didn’t feel anything. I was just there in the moment,” Nepal skipper Rohit Paudel said. “Everyone was excited – two runs were needed in two balls. T20 is a fast game. The game shifts with two good balls or even a boundary.”
Sent in to bat, South Africa struggled for runs, with opener Reeza Hendricks scoring 43 off 49 balls, the only player to get the measure of the pitch. Hendricks struck five fours and a six and posted 44 for the second wicket with Markram (15) before Tristan Stubbs belted an unbeaten 27 off 18 balls at number six to help bolster the innings.
In reply, opener Aasif Sheikh struck four fours and a six in his 42 off 49 deliveries, putting on 35 for the first wicket with Kushal Bhurtel (13) and a further 50 for the third wicket with Anil Sah (27), before the chase became unstuck.
South Africa finished their group stage with four wins from as many starts, while Nepal have been eliminated with a game remaining.
