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In the first T20I of the two-match series between Ireland and South Africa in the UAE, the Proteas men registered an emphatic 8-wicket victory over the Irish side at Abu Dhabi’s Sheikh Zayed Stadium. After winning the toss and electing to bowl first, South Africa restricted Ireland to 171/8 in their 20 overs, before comfortably chasing down the target with 14 balls to spare, reaching 174/2 in 17.4 overs.
Ireland’s innings: Curtis Campher and Neil Rock lead the fight
Ireland’s innings got off to a shaky start as captain Paul Stirling fell early, managing only 2 runs off 4 balls. Ross Adair provided some brief resistance with a quickfire 18 off 10 balls, but Ireland’s top order struggled to build momentum against a disciplined South African bowling attack.
Curtis Campher was the standout performer for Ireland, playing a crucial knock of 49 off 36 balls, hitting 6 fours and 1 six. He was well-supported by Neil Rock, who added a solid 37 off 28 deliveries. George Dockrell also chipped in with a useful 21 off 16 balls towards the end of the innings.
South Africa’s Patrick Kruger was the pick of the bowlers, taking an impressive 4 wickets for 27 runs in his 4 overs.
Also READ: 5 South African players to watch out for in the Women’s T20 World Cup 2024
South Africa’s chase: Ryan Rickelton and Reeza Hendricks shine
In response, South Africa’s openers Ryan Rickelton and Reeza Hendricks put on a dominant display with a 108-run partnership that laid the foundation for their successful chase. Rickelton was in sublime form, smashing 76 off 48 balls, including 3 fours and 6 sixes. Hendricks played a composed knock, scoring 51 off 33 deliveries, hitting 5 fours and 3 sixes.
Despite losing Hendricks and Matthew Breetzke, who contributed 19 off 14, South Africa never lost control of the chase. Aiden Markram finished the match with an unbeaten 17 off 12 balls, guiding South Africa to a comfortable victory with more than two overs to spare.
For Ireland, Craig Young and Mark Adair were the only bowlers to pick up wickets, with Young finishing with figures of 1/25 and Adair taking 1/31. However, their efforts were not enough to stop the South African onslaught.
South Africa defeated Ireland by 8 wickets in the first T20I 🏏#cricket #IREvSA #southafricacricket #CricketTwitter pic.twitter.com/OmsUXDZrxj
— CricketTimes.com (@CricketTimesHQ) September 28, 2024
Player of the Match
South Africa’s comprehensive win was powered by the outstanding performance of Ryan Rickelton, who was named the Player of the Match for his match-winning half-century. With this victory, South Africa have taken a 1-0 lead in the series, with the next match set to take place on Sunday, September 29 at the same venue. Ireland will need to regroup and come up with a better strategy if they have to level the series in the second T20I.
