Captain Aiden Markram was the man who stole the show with his explosive half-century as he shone through and others battered around him and the finishing kick from David Miller and Tristan Stubbs powered South Africa past the 200-run mark in flat Ahmedabad. For Canada, Ansh Patel bowled well for his 3-wicket haul but the others went for runs and they have a daunting task ahead of them.
South Africa get off to a rolicking start in the powerplay.Â
Put into bat first, captain Aiden Markram came out to open with Quinton de Kock while Kaleem Sana had the ball in hand for Canada. Sana bowled a decent over. Dilon Heyliger came into the attack from the other end as Markram climbed onto the bowler by hitting two boundaries in three balls through covers and once again through cover point as well. Sana continued as de Kock was dropped by Ansh Patel at short third man. Markram hit Sana for another boundary through mid-on and then got 4 leg byes as well.
Saad Bin Zafar came into the attack next. Quinton took him on and hit him for consecutive boundaries to covers and mid-off region as well. A stumping chance was missed as well. Dilpreet Bajwa had ball in hand now. Markram hit a boundary through cover point. The 50-run stand came up for both players. Jaskaran Singh came to bowl the last over of powerplay as Markram picked it up and whipped it to wide long-on for the maximum. Markram thumped it away over mid-on for a boundary as South Africa were 66/0 in 6 overs at the end of the powerplay.
Canada chip away at wickets to peg things back post powerplay.Â
Dilpreet Bajwa continued after powerplay and drinks and removed de Kock for 25 off 22 balls with 2 fours to his name by cleaning him up. Ryan Rickelton came in next and got off the mark as well. Ansh Patel came into the attack next as Rickelton dismissed him by sweeping to backward square leg for a boundary. Saad returned as Rickelton slashed it away to deep backward point for a boundary.
Bajwa continued as Markram drilled it away past the bowler for a boundary. The 100 came up for South Africa in 9.5 overs. Markram whipped it to long-on for a boundary as he got to his fifty in 28 balls. Zafar continued as Rickelton slog swept him for the maximum over long-on. Markram hit a boundary to backward point region. Rickelton launched it past deep backward square leg for a boundary. Ansh returned as Markram hit a boundary through deep midwicket region.
Ansh hit back and got rid of Markram for 59 off 32 balls with 10 fours and one six to his name as the catch was taken by Heyliger at long-on brilliantly. Dewald Brevis came to the crease and got off the mark as Brevis hammered it between midwicket and long-on for a boundary. Buttar returned and bowled a good over. Ansh continued and got rid of Rickelton for 33 off 21 balls with 3 fours and one six to his name as he was holed out at long-on. David Miller came to the crease next.
Ansh got another as he got rid of Brevis for 6 off 6 balls with one boundary to his name. Tristan Stubbs came in next and got off the mark for a boundary through extra covers. Bajwa returned to the attack as Miller thumped him for a boundary towards covers. The 150 came up in 14.4 overs for South Africa. South Africa were 151/4 in 15 overs.
Late order hitting from David Miller and Tristan Stubbs takes South Africa to 213/4.Â
Ansh continued and bowled a good over to end his spell. Kaleem Sana returned and he too bowled a decent over. Buttar returned as Stubbs flat batted it for a boundary at long-on. Stubbs went big as he launched it over extra covers for the maximum. Sana continued as Miller thumped the bowler over long-on for the maximum. Sana bowled no balls after no balls.
Buttar bowled the last over of the innings as Miller launched him for back-to-back sixes first over midwicket and then over square leg as 200 came up in 19.2 overs. Stubbs finished things off in style as he launched the bowler over extra covers for the maximum. 21 runs came off the last over. Miller remained unbeaten on 39 off 23 balls with one four and three sixes to his name while Stubbs was unbeaten on 34 off 19 balls with 2 fours and 2 sixes to his name. 17 extras given by the fielding side as the Proteas ended with 213/4 in 20 overs.
Ansh Patel was the pick of the bowlers with figures of 3/31 in 4 overs. Dilpreet Bajwa finished with 1/40 in 4 overs. The others were wicketless and went for runs. So, Canada’s target was 214 for the win.
Who’s Winning, South Africa or Canada?Â
South Africa have got a massive score on a good pitch. But they have the bowling and Canada will feel the pressure. They can compete but we expect South Africa to win this contest easily in Ahmedabad. Let’s see how the chase unfolds in Ahmedabad.
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