New Zealand vs South Africa Highlights, T20 World Cup 2026: Aiden Markram’s captain’s knock leads South Africa to 7-wicket win

Rachin Ravindra to Dewald Brevis, SIX! Pumped down the ground! Fractionally short, around off. Brevis makes use of the depth of the crease and thumps it flat. It goes to the right of the man at long off for a six.

Rachin Ravindra to Aiden Markram, This is slowed down but the length stays short, on middlle. Aiden clips it through mid-wicket and crosses over.

Rachin Ravindra to Dewald Brevis, Short and sliding on with the arm. Brevis hops back and punches it to deep cover for a single.

South Africa need 53 runs from 54 balls. Rachin Ravindra is introduced. He replaces James Neesham.

Matt Henry to Dewald Brevis, Full and straightish line, on the pads, Dewald Brevis flicks it wide of mid on for a single to retain the strike.

Matt Henry to Dewald Brevis, On a hard length, outside off, Dewald Brevis punches it off the back foot, and gets it through cover. Glenn Phillips charges to his right from deep point and cuts it off in the deep. Two taken.

Matt Henry to Dewald Brevis, Big swing and a miss! Henry generates extra bounce with pace, short and outside off, Dewald Brevis tries to pull, but is beaten all ends up due to the bounce.

Matt Henry to Dewald Brevis, Full at 132.5 kph, on off, Dewald Brevis presents a straight bat and hits it back to the bowler.

Matt Henry to Dewald Brevis, Spears it full and attacks the middle and leg stump. Dewald Brevis drags his bat in front to block, but the bat twists at the point of contact and the ball gets lobbed to the left of the bowler and lands safely.

Matt Henry to Aiden Markram, Overpitched, on off, Markram carves it through covers for a single.

James Neesham to Aiden Markram, Short and with pace, outside off, Aiden Markram is hurried by the pace and bounce and heaves it off the inner half to deep mid-wicket. Another single. At the halfway mark, South Africa are 119/2, needing 57 more.

James Neesham to Dewald Brevis, Takes pace off, short, over middle. Brevis gets across and dinks it behind square on the leg side for a single.

James Neesham to Aiden Markram, Around off, on a length, Aiden Markram gets on top of it and slashes it to deep point for another run.

James Neesham to Dewald Brevis, Hard length, just outside off, Dewald Brevis plays off the back foot and square cuts it to deep point for a single.

James Neesham to Dewald Brevis, Back of a length, outside off, Dewald Brevis hops off and punches it to the cover fielder.

James Neesham to Aiden Markram, A leg cutter, full and on leg, Aiden Markram chips it through the vacant mid on region for a single.

Mitchell Santner to Dewald Brevis, Pushed through, full and around off, Dewald angles the bat face and works it to the left of deep point for a couple of runs.

Mitchell Santner to Dewald Brevis, Shorter and outside off, turning away. Dewald reaches out and pats it to cover.

Mitchell Santner to Aiden Markram, Quicker and shorter, on off, Aiden presses deep in the creaese and punches it to long off for a run.

Mitchell Santner to Aiden Markram, Wide! Well wide on off, on the shorter side. Aiden Markram lets it go.

Mitchell Santner to Dewald Brevis, Darted in, fuller and on middle, Brevis hits it down to long on and crosses over.

Mitchell Santner to Dewald Brevis, Flat and short, on off, Dewald punches it hard and wide of the diving cover fielder. He collects a couple of runs before the deep fielder tidies up.

Mitchell Santner to Aiden Markram, Short and around off, cut away to deep point for a single.

James Neesham to Dewald Brevis, On a good length, on the off stump. Dewald punches it to cover.

James Neesham to Dewald Brevis, FOUR! Just for a moment, Brevis had his heart in his mouth. Short and wide outside off. Stubbs goes after it straightaway, pulling it flat and hard towards deep mid-wicket. Glenn Phillips is a few yards inside the ropes. He leaps for it, but it just sails over him, lands in front of the cushion, and rolls over for four.

Out goes Ryan Rickelton and in walks Dewald Brevis.

James Neesham to Ryan Rickelton, OUT! IN THE AIR AND GONE! That's a fantastic catch by Mitchell in the deep. Slower ball by Neesham, fullish in length and outside off. Rickelton is early into the shot and it lobs off the toe-end. Mitchell settles under it at long on, moving to his left. He realises he’s close to the rope, and shows good awareness as he lobs it up, steps back in, and completes the catch.

James Neesham to Aiden Markram, Honing in on the off stump, on a short of a length, punched to long on for one.

James Neesham to Aiden Markram, FOUR! Skilful shot! In the channel, on a short of a length. Aiden uses the pace by opening the bat face and threads the gap between short third and backward point for a boundary.

James Neesham to Ryan Rickelton, On a good length, on middle and leg. Ryan Rickelton taps it to long on for a single.

Mitchell Santner to Aiden Markram, SIX! FIFTY UP FOR AIDEN MARKRAM. Off just 19 balls. A truly astonishing knock from the Proteas skipper so far, keeping South Africa firmly in control of the chase. Santner lands it full and on middle with a good bit of flight. Aiden Markram leans on and thumps it straight down the ground for a cracking six to get to his milestone.

Mitchell Santner to Aiden Markram, Good length ball sliding in and around off. Markram backs away, gives himself room and then hits towards deep backward point for two.

Mitchell Santner to Ryan Rickelton, Flatter on a length, sliding across off, Ryan Rickelton rocks back and slaps it to deep cover for a singe.

Mitchell Santner to Aiden Markram, Drags the length back, on middle, Aiden Markram hangs deep in the crease and nudges it between mid-wicket and square leg for a single.

Mitchell Santner to Ryan Rickelton, Full and flighted on middle, Ryan Rickelton gets on the front foot and eases it with the flick to deep mid-wicket for one more.

Mitchell Santner to Ryan Rickelton, Drops it full and on middle, Ryan Rickelton flicks it to deep mid-wicket and scampers back for the second run. The throw comes in towards the bowler, but Santner fails to gather it cleanly and that allows Markram to scoot through.

DRINKS BREAK! Absolute carnage from South Africa in the first six overs. The New Zealand quicks were wayward with their lines and lengths and were dispatched all over the park. They will hope to wrest back some control through spin in the middle phase. Picking wickets is the only way they can get back into this game. Given the start the Proteas have had, there is no need to take undue risks, and it is just about managing the chase from here. Mitchell Santner brings himself on after the break.

16 runs off the over so far.

Jacob Duffy to Aiden Markram, Overpitched at 133.2 kph, on middle, Aiden backs away, exposes the stumps, takes it on the full and carves it to cover, but finds the fielder in the ring. At the end of the Powerplay, South Africa are 83/1.

Jacob Duffy to Aiden Markram, WIDE! Bangs it in halfway into the pitch, angling down leg. Aiden Markram bails out of the pull shot as it goes over his head.

Jacob Duffy to Ryan Rickelton, Back of a length, around off, Ryan Rickelton dabs it between backward point and short third for a quick single.

Jacob Duffy to Ryan Rickelton, SIX! INTO THE STANDS! Duffy drags the length back, on leg, Ryan Rickelton presses in front and whips it aerially over deep square leg for a massive six. That's the 5th six of the inning already for South Africa.

Jacob Duffy to Ryan Rickelton, FOUR! Just on the bounce! Jacob goes full and on middle, Ryan Rickelton gets under it and pumps it down the ground for a boundary. The replay shows that the ball just yorked the boundary cushions.

Jacob Duffy to Ryan Rickelton, FOUR! Up and over! A bit of a slower one, around off on a fuller length. Ryan Rickelton stretches in front, waits on it, and he lofts it over mid off to find the fence.

Jacob Duffy to Ryan Rickelton, Back of a length, around off, Ryan Rickelton plays off the back foot and punches it to cover-point, but cannot get it through.

Jacob Duffy (1-0-20-0) is called back on, replacing Matt Henry.

Lockie Ferguson to Aiden Markram, FOUR! Quality shot! On a back of a length, around off, Aiden stands tall and gets on top of the bounce before punching it through covers for a boundary.

Lockie Ferguson to Ryan Rickelton, Rickelton was gone had the throw hit! Ferguson bowls it on a length, on middle. This is punched on the up to mid off by Ryan and he sets off for the run. Mitchell Santner moves to his left, picks the ball up with his left hand and gets rid of the ball quickly. He is struggling to make his ground but luckily for him, the throw misses the stumps.

Finally, some respite for New Zealand from the onslaught. Ryan Rickelton walks in at number 3.

Lockie Ferguson to Quinton de Kock, OUT! TIMBER! The change of angle works for Lockie Ferguson. He switches to over the wicket and floats up the leg-cutter, in line with the leg stump. Quinton heaves across the line. The ball drops on him and goes past the inside edge before hitting the leg pole. The brisk 62-run opening stand is broken. South Africa need 114 more.