Corbin Bosch’s 3-wicket haul has helped South Africa restrict UAE to 122/6 in 20 overs. Corbin Bosch was terrific and showed his class while Anrich Nortje picked up 2 wickets while George Linde also bowled really well out there. It was a struggle for UAE as Alishan Sharafu’s 45 and Muhammad Waseem’s 22 at the top were the only shining lights for UAE. 122 is not enough but rain has delayed proceedings in Delhi now.
South Africa Strikes Twice To Keep UAE under check inside the powerplay.Â
Put into bat first, Aryansh Sharma and Muhammad Waseem came out to open the batting for UAE while Kagiso Rabada had ball in hand for South Africa. Aryansh made his intentions clear as he swivelled and pulled only to get a top edge over the slips and away for the maximum. Kwena Maphaka came onto bowl next from the other end. After bowling a few wides Waseem got off the mark with a boundary as he drove the ball back past the bowler for a boundary. South Africa wasted a review against Sharma for LBW as the ball had pitched outside the leg stump.
Waseem took the attack to Rabada by first blasting the ball down the ground over mid-off for a boundary and then flat batted it straight down the ground for a boundary. Waseem made it a hat-trick of boundaries as he glanced the ball on the pads fine to the fine leg fence for a boundary. Quinton de Kock then gave Aryansh a lifeline as he dropped the catch off Rabada.
Anrich Nortje came into the attack next. Sharma managed to squirt it away past diving cover point fielder for a boundary. George Linde came into the attack next. He got the first breakthrough for South Africa as he trapped Waseem in front for 22 off 12 balls with 3 fours to his name as he was plumb in front. Waseem reviewed in hope and saw three reds as the review was lost. Alishan Sharafu came out to bat next and then gave room to go inside out over covers for a boundary.
Corbin Bosch came into the attack for the final over of powerplay. He got his first wicket as he dismissed Sharma for 13 off 17 balls with one four and one six to his name as the high ball was taken by the fielder Maphaka. Sohaib Khan came out to bat next after a short drinks break. Khan got off the mark after the break. Bosch bowled a great first over and at the end of the first powerplay, UAE were 44/2 in 6 overs with Khan unbeaten on 1 off 1 ball and Sharafu unbeaten on 5 off 6 balls.
South Africa continues to chip away at the wickets in the middle phase of the game.Â
George Linde continued after the powerplay. He bowled another quiet over. Anrich Nortje came back into the attack. Sharafu got an outside edge that flew away to the vacant slip cordon for a boundary. Sharafu took on the bowler as he slashed it away over third man for the maximum. Linde continued and kept things under check.
Corbin Bosch came back into the attack and removed Sohaib for 6 off 11 balls as the edge was found and taken by de Kock. Syed Haider Shah came out to bat next and got off the mark with a brace. At the end of 10 overs, UAE were 66/3 at the halfway stage of the innings. Maphaka came back into the attack. Maphaka gave away 4 leg byes to the batting side. Rabada came back into the attack and bowled a quiet over. Linde came to bowl his final over. He also kept things tight.
Nortje came back into the attack. He removed Syed Haider Shah for 6 off 15 balls as Maphaka took the catch at midwicket region. Drinks was taken at this stage after which Muhammad Arfan came out to bat next. Arfan got off the mark as well. Maphaka returned for another spell as Sharafu stood tall and pulled it in front of square for the boundary. Maphaka gifted 5 wides to the batting side as well as a bonus.
Nortje almost pulled off a stunner at deep backward square leg as he ran a lot of ground and then pushed it back into play but then the relay was not taken by Jason Smith. At the end of 15 overs, UAE were 97/4 with Sharafu unbeaten on 35 off 31 balls and Arfan unbeaten on 3 off 4 balls.
South Africa keeps things tight and restricts UAE to 122/6 in 20 overs.Â
Corbin Bosch came back into the attack and hit Sharafu on the helmet for which a concussion test was done on him. After a pause, he continued his innings. Sharafu then advanced down the wicket and slashed hard at the ball and the thick outside edge that flew to Nortje who ran in from deep third man and misjudged the ball and allowed it to drop in front of him and he slid to miss the ball as the ball went to the fence. The 100 came up for UAE in 15.5 overs.
Rabada continued as Arfan was put down as Bosch ran in from long-off to take the catch and was dropped by the fielder. Sharafu managed to hit a boundary by cutting the ball and the outside edge that went away to the vacant gully region for a boundary. Nortje continued and he removed Sharafu for 45 off 38 balls with 5 fours and one six to his name as the short ball did the trick as the ball went towards the midwicket region. Dhruv Parashar came out to bat next and got off the mark as well. The drizzle started to fall in Delhi but play continued.
Maphaka came to bowl the 19th over and bowled a tight over. Bosch came to bowl the final over of the innings and he removed Arfan for 11 off 18 balls as the deep midwicket fielder took the catch. Muhammad Farooq came out to bat next and got off the mark as well. UAE reached 122/6 in 20 overs at the end of the innings. Parashar was unbeaten on 5 off 7 balls while Farooq was unbeaten on 1 off 2 balls. 13 extras given by the fielding side.
Corbin Bosch was the pick of the bowlers with figures of 3/12 in 4 overs. Anrich Nortje finished with 2/28 in 4 overs. George Linde finished with 1/17 in 4 overs. Kagiso Rabada and Kwena Maphaka bowled 4 overs each and both gave away 30 runs each without taking a wicket. So, this meant South Africa needed 123 runs to win the contest in 20 overs to make it 4 wins out of 4 games.
Who’s Winning, South Africa or UAE?Â
UAE posted a below par score as South Africa kept things really tight and 122 was never going to be enough. There is rain around which has delayed the start of the chase. But now it has stopped and we are in for a resumption of play. South Africa will look to come out hard and get over the line in the end. Can UAE make a match out of it under overcast conditions? Only time will tell.
Also Read:Â ICC T20 WC 2026: South Africa Strikes Twice To Keep UAE Under Check.