Cricket is a game of moments—moments that make your heart race, moments that leave you on the edge of your seat, and moments that etch themselves into the history books. On June 14, 2024, at the Arnos Vale Stadium in Kingstown, St. Vincent, the South Africa National Cricket Team vs Nepal National Cricket Team Match Scorecard in Match 31 of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024. What unfolded was a low-scoring thriller that had fans gripping their seats until the final ball. South Africa emerged victorious by a single run, but Nepal won hearts with their spirited performance. Let’s dive into the details of this unforgettable match, complete with a full scorecard, and relive the drama that made it a classic.

The Stage is Set

The T20 World Cup is always a spectacle, bringing together cricketing giants and rising stars. South Africa, a powerhouse with a star-studded lineup, were unbeaten in the tournament, having won their first three matches. Nepal, an associate nation with a growing cricketing presence, were chasing their first-ever T20I victory against a Test-playing nation. The pitch at Kingstown was slow and spin-friendly, setting the stage for a tactical battle. Nepal’s captain, Rohit Paudel, won the toss and elected to bowl first, hoping to exploit the conditions with their spinners. South Africa, led by Aiden Markram, were ready to flex their batting muscle but faced a stern test from Nepal’s disciplined attack.

South Africa’s Innings: A Struggle Against Spin

South Africa’s batting lineup, featuring names like Quinton de Kock, Reeza Hendricks, and David Miller, is one of the most feared in world cricket. But on this day, Nepal’s bowlers, particularly their spinners, had other plans. The Proteas got off to a shaky start when Quinton de Kock fell early for just 10 runs, caught and bowled by Dipendra Singh Airee in the fourth over. The arm ball from Airee held up on the pitch, and de Kock chipped it back to the bowler, giving Nepal an early breakthrough.

Reeza Hendricks and Aiden Markram then steadied the ship, adding 46 runs for the second wicket. Hendricks played a cautious innings, anchoring the side, while Markram looked to accelerate. However, Nepal’s spinners struck again in the 11th over when Kushal Bhurtel dismissed Markram for 15. Markram’s attempted cover drive resulted in an inside edge that crashed into the stumps, leaving South Africa at 68/2.

The middle order struggled to find rhythm. Heinrich Klaasen, known for his explosive hitting, managed only 3 before being caught by Karan KC off Bhurtel’s bowling. Reeza Hendricks battled on, scoring a gritty 43 off 49 balls, but his slow strike rate reflected the difficulty of the surface. David Miller, another big-hitting star, fell for 7, caught by Sandeep Lamichhane off Airee’s bowling after miscuing a lofted shot. Marco Jansen and Kagiso Rabada followed quickly, both dismissed by Bhurtel, who finished with a remarkable 4/19. Jansen was caught at long-on, while Rabada was stumped for a golden duck.

With South Africa reeling at 115/7 in the final over, Tristan Stubbs provided a late flourish, finishing unbeaten on 27 off 18 balls, including a six off Bhurtel. His cameo gave South Africa a fighting total of 115/7 in 20 overs. Nepal’s spinners, led by Bhurtel (4/19) and Airee (3/21), had dominated, exploiting the turning track to keep South Africa’s big hitters in check. For a team of South Africa’s caliber, 115 was a modest total, but it set up a tantalizing chase.

Nepal’s Chase: So Close, Yet So Far

Chasing 116 to create history, Nepal began confidently. Openers Kushal Bhurtel and Aasif Sheikh survived a testing powerplay, scoring 36 runs without loss. Bhurtel, fresh off his bowling heroics, looked to take the attack to South Africa’s pace-heavy bowling unit, which included Anrich Nortje, Kagiso Rabada, and Ottneil Baartman. The spinners, however, were South Africa’s trump card, with Tabraiz Shamsi proving to be the game-changer.

In the eighth over, Shamsi struck twice, dismissing Bhurtel (13) and Rohit Paudel (0) in quick succession. Bhurtel was bowled by a full delivery, while Paudel fell to a sharp caught-and-bowled. Nepal were suddenly 35/2, but Aasif Sheikh and Anil Sah kept their hopes alive with a crucial 50-run partnership off 36 balls. Sheikh, playing a captain’s knock, scored a composed 42, while Sah contributed 27. At 85/2 after 14 overs, Nepal needed just 31 runs off 38 balls—a seemingly achievable task.

South Africa, however, fought back. Aiden Markram, bowling as a part-time spinner, dismissed Sah in the 14th over, breaking the partnership. Shamsi then removed Dipendra Singh Airee (6) and Aasif Sheikh in the 18th over, swinging the momentum back to South Africa. Shamsi’s figures of 4/19 were pivotal, as he used the turning pitch to outfox Nepal’s batsmen. With 21 runs needed off the last four overs, Nepal’s tail-enders, Sompal Kami and Gulshan Jha, kept the dream alive. Kami’s six in the 19th over off Nortje brought the equation down to 8 runs off the final over.

The Final Over: Heartbreak for Nepal

Ottneil Baartman was tasked with defending 7 runs in the last over. With tension in the air, Nepal needed a miracle, and South Africa needed to hold their nerve. Baartman started with a dot ball, beating Gulshan Jha with a short delivery. Jha then smashed a four through cover, reducing the target to 4 runs off 3 balls. A brace followed, leaving Nepal needing 2 runs off the final ball—or 1 for a Super Over.

In a dramatic finish, Baartman bowled a short ball that Jha missed. Attempting a bye, Jha ran, but Quinton de Kock’s throw deflected off Jha’s back and went straight to Heinrich Klaasen, who flicked it onto the stumps to run Jha out. Nepal finished on 114/7, falling agonizingly short by 1 run. The Arnos Vale Stadium fell silent as Nepal’s players and fans processed the heartbreak. South Africa celebrated, but even they acknowledged Nepal’s incredible fight.

Player of the Match: Tabraiz Shamsi

Tabraiz Shamsi was named Player of the Match for his match-defining spell of 4/19. His ability to exploit the spin-friendly conditions and dismiss key Nepal batsmen turned the game in South Africa’s favor. “We came here with the goal of finishing four out of four,” Shamsi said. “It got closer than we’d like, but the team stood up to the pressure. Nepal played a beautiful game, taking full advantage of the conditions.”

Reflections from the Captains

South Africa’s Aiden Markram admitted his team was far from their best. “We were not near our best tonight,” he said. “Nepal’s bowling made it tough, and we need to adapt better to these conditions moving forward.” He praised Nepal’s quality and acknowledged that South Africa’s decision to play only one specialist spinner was a tactical error.

Nepal’s Rohit Paudel was proud of his team’s effort. “I’m very proud of the unit, the way we bowled and batted,” he said. “We were so close, but we didn’t do well in the crunch moments. If we get more exposure to games like this, we’ll be on the other side of the result.” Paudel also thanked Nepal’s passionate fans, who turned out in droves despite the rain.

What This Match Meant

For South Africa, the victory ensured they entered the Super 8s unbeaten, but it exposed vulnerabilities in their batting. A highest score of 115/7 was far below their potential, and they’ll need to step up against stronger opponents like West Indies and England. For Nepal, the defeat ended their Super 8 hopes, but their performance was a testament to their growing stature in world cricket. They outbowled and outbatted South Africa for much of the game, proving they can compete with the best.

The match also highlighted the importance of associate nations in global tournaments. Nepal’s spinners and spirited chase showed that with more exposure, they could become a force in T20 cricket. As Paudel noted, playing more games against top teams will only make Nepal stronger.

Full Scorecard

Below is the detailed scorecard of the South Africa vs. Nepal match, capturing every key moment of this thrilling encounter.

South Africa National Cricket Team vs Nepal National Cricket Team Match Scorecard T20 World Cup 2024 Match 31

Match Details

• Date: June 14, 2024

• Venue: Arnos Vale Stadium, Kingstown, St. Vincent

• Toss: Nepal won the toss and elected to bowl

• Result: South Africa won by 1 run

• Player of the Match: Tabraiz Shamsi (South Africa) – 4/19

South Africa Innings: 115/7 (20.0 overs, RR: 5.75)

Batsman	Dismissal	Runs	Balls	4s	6s	Strike Rate
Quinton de Kock (wk)	c & b Dipendra Singh Airee	10	11	1	0	90.91
Reeza Hendricks	c & b Dipendra Singh Airee	43	49	5	1	87.75
Aiden Markram (c)	b Kushal Bhurtel	15	22	1	0	68.18
Heinrich Klaasen	c Karan KC b Kushal Bhurtel	3	5	0	0	60.00
David Miller	c Sandeep Lamichhane b Dipendra Singh Airee	7	10	0	0	70.00
Tristan Stubbs	not out	27	18	2	1	150.00
Marco Jansen	c Anil Sah b Kushal Bhurtel	1	4	0	0	25.00
Kagiso Rabada	st Aasif Sheikh b Kushal Bhurtel	0	1	0	0	0.00
Anrich Nortje	not out	0	1	0	0	0.00
Extras	(lb 4, w 4, nb 1)	9
Total	(7 wickets, 20 overs)	115

Did Not Bat: Ottneil Baartman, Tabraiz Shamsi

Fall of Wickets

• 1-22 (Quinton de Kock, 3.4 overs)

• 2-68 (Aiden Markram, 11.2 overs)

• 3-74 (Heinrich Klaasen, 13.2 overs)

• 4-82 (Reeza Hendricks, 15.3 overs)

• 5-97 (David Miller, 17.3 overs)

• 6-115 (Marco Jansen, 19.5 overs)

• 7-115 (Kagiso Rabada, 19.6 overs)

Nepal Bowling

Bowler	Overs	Maidens	Runs	Wickets	Economy
Sompal Kami	2	1	6	0	3.00
Dipendra Singh Airee	4	0	21	3	5.25
Karan KC	1	0	9	0	9.00
Kushal Malla	2	0	17	0	8.50
Sandeep Lamichhane	4	0	18	0	4.50
Kushal Bhurtel	4	0	19	4	4.75
Abinash Bohara	3	0	19	0	6.33

Nepal Innings: 114/7 (20.0 overs, RR: 5.70)

Batsman	Dismissal	Runs	Balls	4s	6s	Strike Rate
Kushal Bhurtel	b Tabraiz Shamsi	13	21	1	1	61.90
Aasif Sheikh (wk)	c Heinrich Klaasen b Tabraiz Shamsi	42	49	4	1	85.71
Rohit Paudel (c)	c & b Tabraiz Shamsi	0	2	0	0	0.00
Anil Sah	c Reeza Hendricks b Aiden Markram	27	24	3	1	112.50
Dipendra Singh Airee	c David Miller b Tabraiz Shamsi	6	11	0	0	54.54
Kushal Malla	not out	1	3	0	0	33.33
Sompal Kami	c Aiden Markram b Anrich Nortje	8	4	0	1	200.00
Gulshan Jha	run out (Quinton de Kock/Heinrich Klaasen)	6	6	1	0	100.00
Extras	(lb 2, w 8, nb 1)	11
Total	(7 wickets, 20 overs)	114

Did Not Bat: Karan KC, Sandeep Lamichhane, Abinash Bohara

Fall of Wickets

• 1-35 (Kushal Bhurtel, 7.2 overs)

• 2-35 (Rohit Paudel, 7.4 overs)

• 3-85 (Anil Sah, 13.4 overs)

• 4-99 (Dipendra Singh Airee, 17.3 overs)

• 5-100 (Aasif Sheikh, 18.2 overs)

• 6-100 (Kushal Malla, 18.3 overs)

• 7-114 (Gulshan Jha, 20.0 overs)

South Africa Bowling

Bowler	Overs	Maidens	Runs	Wickets	Economy
Marco Jansen	4	0	16	0	4.00
Kagiso Rabada	2	0	17	0	8.50
Ottneil Baartman	4	0	20	0	5.00
Anrich Nortje	4	0	27	1	6.75
Tabraiz Shamsi	4	0	19	4	4.75
Aiden Markram	2	0	13	1	6.50

Key Moments and Takeaways

• Nepal’s Spin Mastery: Kushal Bhurtel (4/19) and Dipendra Singh Airee (3/21) exposed South Africa’s struggles against spin, restricting them to a below-par total.
• Shamsi’s Game-Changing Spell: Tabraiz Shamsi’s 4/19, including two wickets in the 18th over, turned the tide when Nepal looked set to win.
• The Final Ball Drama: Gulshan Jha’s run-out on the last ball was a heartbreaking moment for Nepal, encapsulating the fine margins of T20 cricket.
• Nepal’s Resilience: Despite the loss, Nepal’s performance showed they can challenge top teams, with their bowlers and batsmen stepping up admirably.

Looking Ahead

For South Africa, this match was a wake-up call. Their batting needs to fire in the Super 8s, where they’ll face tougher challenges. For Nepal, the heartbreak will sting, but their campaign isn’t over. They have a chance to end their T20 World Cup on a high against Bangladesh. With more opportunities to play against top teams, Nepal could soon turn close defeats into historic victories.