South Africa 159 for 7 (Miller 75*, Sterling 2-12) beat Ireland by 42 runs by 117 (Gatekat 24, Shamsi 3-14, Fortuyn 3-16)
South Africa have won consecutive T20I series, and second in seven laps in the format under Mark Boucher, with one game to go and under serious pressure. Thanks to David Miller and Wiaan Mulder, South Africa scored 58 for 5 in the half leg of their innings.
Miller's brilliant knock of 75 off 44 balls was responsible for South Africa's 101 runs in the last 10 overs and 68 runs in the last five, which badly ruined the Irish performance. Josh Little's economy rate dropped to 1 for 14 in two overs, eventually reaching 1 for 42, while Mark Adair, in his final analysis, picked up 1 for 33 in his first two overs at 2 for 8 in his first two overs. took.
Only Mulder and Aiden Markram suffered an equally costly fate as South Africa defended their total with a fresh form of attack. With Kagiso Rabada and Enrique Nortje rested, Lungi Ngidi was the pace spearhead, assisted by left-arm pacer Beuran Hendrix, who made his first appearance in the series. While Ngidi and Bjorn Fortuyn held their ends, Hendrix made significant incisions but it was the world's top-order T20I bowler that stole the show.
Tabraiz Shamsi made 3 for 14 to take six wickets in the list of leading wicket-takers in 2021 and was responsible for dismissing Ireland's big players, Paul Stirling, George Dockrell and Shane Getkett. Ireland, however, will be disappointed with their batting effort. No Irish batsman made more than 24 and no partnership had scored more than 31.
South Africa had their worst start in a T20I after losing their first two wickets in four balls without a run on the board. Temba Bavuma and Janman Malan were dismissed in similar fashion, playing away from the body and moving towards short third man. Little Man was in place and took the first catch down and the second at shoulder height and dismissed both the batsmen for ducks and had already added several runs on this tour of South Africa. Not only did they lose to Ireland in ODIs for the first time and played in T20Is for the first time, but now they have also lost two wickets without scoring a run for the first time in T20Is.
While there is still a lot of work to be done for South Africa's middle order, their finishers played their part after coming together at the end of the 10th over, scoring 58 for 5. Miller and Mulder added 58 runs for the sixth wicket. 43 balls. He started cautiously with boundary-less overs off Sterling and Little, and Miller should have been dismissed for 19 when he was dismissed by wicketkeeper Lorcan Tucker. Miller then pulled Simi Singh for four through deep midwicket, before Mulder threw his extraordinary figures for a six over deep midwicket. The pair scored a combined 25 runs in the 16th and 17th overs and were all set to end the innings with a bang. Mulder did not last till the end and was caught at long-on off the first ball of the 18th over but Miller went on his third 50-plus score, batting at No. 6 or lower. He scored 32 off 36 in the last two overs, including five sixes and three in the last three balls of Little.
Things are not going well for Kevin O'Brien, who got his second duck of the series and his third consecutive international score. On evidence of his dismissal, O'Brien has been struggling with his time on the drive as he was bowled by Fred Klaasen playing away from his body in an ODI against the Netherlands last month, then chipped a ball that was late. In the first T20I, Fortuin attempted to overpitch the ball but gave a simple return catch to the left-arm spinner. Ireland were 1 for 1 after an over and may need to look at other options in the top two.
South Africa have made a habit of squeezing chances in Ireland and, as they did in the first T20I, they dropped two before stopping. Andy Balbirnie was dropped in the second over when he pushed Ngidi towards Fortuyn at short third man. The ball hit his chest area and he could not catch it. Five overs later, Dockrell should have been Hendrix's second wicket when he went to mid-on where Aiden Markram dived to his left and fell without a ball. But this is where the mess stopped. Shamsi was caught by Miller at deep midwicket before Fortuyn made up for his mistake and held on to a low chance, diving forward over cover, to dismiss Tector, and Markram long- Freed himself with a well laid catch on the rope to end Dockrell's knock.