South Africa defeated the defending champions England in a nail-biting last-ball thriller in the super-8 stage of the ongoing T20 World Cup 2024. With this win, Aiden Markram’s men have registered their second successive win in the super-8 stage of the tournament following 4 consecutive wins in the group stage.
SA skipper Aiden Markram’s iconic catch to dismiss set batter Harry Brook on the first ball of the last over happened to be the game-changing moment for Africa as they were lacking in the game miles away from the Englishmen.
Both teams played this match at the Darren Sammy National Cricket Stadium in St Lucia. The holders’ skipper Jos Buttler won the toss and asked the Proteas to bat first.
Batting first, South Africa posted 163 runs for the loss of 6 wickets in the allotted 20 overs. Wicketkeeper-batter Quinton de Kock smashed 65 runs off just 38 balls, with 4 fours and 4 sixes followed by David Miller’s 43 runs off just 28 balls, with 4 fours and 2 sixes.
Star England pacer Jofra Archer was quite expensive on the day for his side but he also scalped 3 wickets in the first innings, alongside one wicket each picked by Moeen Ali and Adil Rashid.
'Livingstone-Brook' efforts go in vain as Proteas hold the last-over nerves
While chasing the target, the Three Lions were looking completely out of the winning equation when they had lost 4 wickets just at the score of 61 runs in 10.2 overs. But then came the amazing and game-defining partnership of 78 runs for the fifth wicket between Liam Livingstone and Harry Brook; the latter went on to put a valiant effort as he smashed 53 runs off 37 balls, with 7 fours, alongside a supportive knock of 33 runs off just 17 balls played by Liam Livingstone, with 3 fours and 2sixes.
However, the efforts from the Livingstone-Brook duo went in vain as England fell 8 runs short of the target after the 20 overs. The star Proteas wicketkeeper-batter Quinton de Kock won the ‘Player of the Match award for his amazing 65-run knock; it is also the second successive ‘Player of the Award for Quinton de Kock in the super-8 stage of the tournament.
Here’s how fans reacted to South Africa’s thrilling win over England:
What a game, South africa will give us heart attack #ENGvSA
— Phuti Phukubje (@Nthetsana) June 21, 2024
Blockbuster match🔥🔥 #ENGvSA
— Josheee 𝕏 (@spideyjosheee) June 21, 2024
Congratulations South Africa 🌍
— Vℹ️NEET 🅿️AREEK (@vineetpareek15) June 21, 2024
CLUTCH MARKRAM! 🔥#T20WorldCup | #ENGvSA |
Most Wickets for South Africa in T20 WCs
— Dhruv. (@CricNerdDhruv) June 21, 2024
31 - Anrich Nortje*
30 - Dale Steyn
24 - Morne Morkel
24 - Kagiso Rabada
18 - Imran Tahir#ENGvSA #T20WorldCup
Simply
— ~ᗰariaaa🌺 (@maria_amreen17) June 21, 2024
" I love the way he play"
Quinny De kock ❤️ #EngvSA pic.twitter.com/Vb4Zv5yXW7
Teams to win by single digit run margins most times in men's T20 World Cup :-
— Rhitankar Bandyopadhyay (@rhitankar8616) June 21, 2024
6 - SOUTH AFRICA🇿🇦
3 - New Zealand🇳🇿
2 - India🇮🇳
2 - Bangladesh🇧🇩
2 - Sri Lanka🇱🇰#ENGvSA #T20WorldCup
The game changing catch of Aiden Markram. 🥶 #ENGvSA pic.twitter.com/GudK0ennV4
— Ahsan Shah 💙 (@parh_ly_ahsan) June 21, 2024
Congratulations South Africa 🎉🎉🎉
— Afridi Rehmat (@rehmat30) June 21, 2024
What a batting power show by 🐐 Quinton De Kock 👏🎉 well deserved POTM
And great bowling by Proteas.#SAvENG #ENGvSA#T20WorldCup pic.twitter.com/z2ULbhJbG7
Congratulations #Proteas
— @MaLizzy958 (@malizzy958) June 21, 2024
Its cming home🏆🇿🇦💃🏏#WozaNawe #BePartofIt #T20WorldCup #ENGvSA https://t.co/qyqnPt4zQn
Jos Buttler was just following
— ~ᗰariaaa🌺 (@maria_amreen17) June 21, 2024
" Never Celebrate Too Early, Even A Moment Can Change." 😭💔#EngvSA pic.twitter.com/tVaGDlKUZv
Also Read - Most Maiden Overs in T20 World Cup 2024