Heinrich Klaasen’s decisive run-out off the final ball ensured South Africa edged past Nepal by a solitary run, clinching a dramatic victory and eliminating Nepal from advancing to the Super Eights in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup clash in St Vincent.
Nepal, needing two runs off the last delivery to stay alive in the tournament, seemed poised for a Super Over before Klaasen’s calm execution at the non-striker’s end left Gulsan Jha short of his ground. It was a heart-wrenching conclusion for Nepal, who had largely outplayed the Proteas for much of the game.
South Africa struggled with the bat, managing just 115/7 thanks to Nepal’s spin duo of Kushal Bhurtel (4/19) and Dipendra Singh Airee (3/21), who wreaked havoc. Opener Reeza Hendricks’ 43 was a lone standout, as wickets fell regularly.
In response, Nepal appeared steady at 85/2 in the 14th over, chasing a modest target. However, Tabraiz Shamsi’s brilliant spell (4/19) tilted the scales in South Africa’s favor, leaving Nepal needing 8 runs from the final over. Despite a boundary from Gulsan Jha, Klaasen’s match-winning intervention sealed the Proteas’ narrow triumph.
While South Africa celebrated their unbeaten run in the group stage, concerns linger about their inconsistent performance. Tristan Stubbs (27* off 18 balls) provided late impetus, but overall batting frailties were evident.
The result leaves South Africa with work to do to challenge the tournament favorites in the next phase. For Nepal, it was a valiant effort that fell agonizingly short of a historic win over a full ICC member team, marking the end of their T20 World Cup journey.
The encounter underscored the unpredictable nature of T20 cricket, with Klaasen emerging as the match-winner in a thrilling finale that will be etched in both teams’ memories.
