Captain Kane Williamson hit a six to reach his century and level the scores and then stroked the winning runs with a boundary off the next delivery as New Zealand edged South Africa by four wickets with three balls to spare in a 49-over rain-affected game.
Williamson scored an unbeaten 106 off 138 balls in a composed innings to guide the Black Caps to 245-6 chasing 242 for victory.
The unbeaten New Zealanders have now moved to the top of the table with nine points from four wins and a point from the washout game against India. On the other side, South Africa has just one win from six games and its chances of reaching the semi-finals are almost over.
Williamson shared a 91-run partnership with Colin de Grandhomme, who scored 60 from 47 balls, to get the Kiwis within reach.
De Grandhomme’s dismissal left New Zealand needing 14 runs from 11 balls and four wickets in hand. Williams angled a boundary off the last ball of the penultimate over to set up a scenario where New Zealand needed eight runs off the last over to win.
Mitchell Santner took a single in the first ball of the last over from Andile Phehlukwayo, and Williamson hit the six and the boundary from consecutive balls to finish it off.
Here’s how Twitter reacted:
Kane Williamson out here adding a new star to the New Zealand flag *#BACKTHEBLACKCAPS #CWC19 pic.twitter.com/tipCsTxLq5
— ICC (@ICC) June 19, 2019
Another World Cup, another heartbreak for South Africa. Their story of the World Cup has been a long running tear-jerker.
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) June 19, 2019
Kane Williamson absolutely Dhoni-ed that innings
— Peter Miller (@TheCricketGeek) June 19, 2019
#KaneWilliamson makes such a big difference to the #blackcaps . Paces his innings so well.. Great control and great skill. Reads the games beautifully #NZvSAF #wc19
— Hemang Badani (@hemangkbadani) June 19, 2019
Morgan grabbed the headlines for his power Hitting exploits yesterday and rightly so but this Williamson innings today is something else … Under immense pressure he has played an old school gem … What a player … What a Ton … #CWC19 #YorkshirePlayer
— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) June 19, 2019
What a marvellous innings from Kane Williamson. Fantastic game of cricket and his calmness stood out in taking New Zealand home. Terrific stuff #NZvSA pic.twitter.com/ZxFgagPZl4
— VVS Laxman (@VVSLaxman281) June 19, 2019
https://twitter.com/hershybru/status/1141420090983890946
Gem of a player, Kane Williamson. Composure and class
— Mike atherton (@Athersmike) June 19, 2019
Kane Williamson is a champion.
Along with Dhoni the coolest head in world cricket. What a fantastic chase and a great victory for New Zealand #NZvSA pic.twitter.com/kARTNK9gKe— Mohammad Kaif (@MohammadKaif) June 19, 2019
No fireworks, no showmnaship. Just a clinical completion of the task at hand. This man #KaneWilliamson is the ‘Mechanic.’ Like Jason Statham, the perfect executioner…#NZvsRSA
— anand mahindra (@anandmahindra) June 19, 2019
Kane Williamson you beauty!!! #NZvsSA #CWC2019 #BACKTHEBLACKCAPS
— Grant Elliott (@grantelliottnz) June 19, 2019
https://twitter.com/dizzy259/status/1141419186054467586
Kane Can. What a time to bring up his first World Cup Ton. Top knock by a top player. New Zealand to stay in the top four….in all likelihood, right till the end. #NZvSA #CWC19
— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) June 19, 2019
Man of the Match : Kane Williamson#NZvSA #CWC19 #SAvNZ pic.twitter.com/ZJl0GZA1Qo
— CricketTimes.com (@CricketTimesHQ) June 20, 2019
Kane Williamson Top dog! Superb century to anchor his team to win in nerve wracking contest
— Cricketwallah (@cricketwallah) June 19, 2019
It's Williamson's first World Cup hundred. And what a hundred. New Zealand are almost through the semis. And South Africa almost out.
— Sambit Bal (@sambitbal) June 19, 2019
All class..#KaneWilliamson
— zainab abbas (@ZAbbasOfficial) June 19, 2019
Kane Williamson is mayonnaise. But sriracha mayonnaise. #CWC19
— Vithushan Ehantharajah (@Vitu_E) June 19, 2019
This is New Zealand's 10th consecutive win while chasing in ICC ODI World Cups.#NZvsSA
— Umang Pabari (@UPStatsman) June 19, 2019
End of the road for South Africa. Usual script in world cups for them. Brilliant from Williamson and NZ shows why they can never be ignored. England NZ India and Aus though Bangladesh may not agree.
— Boria Majumdar (@BoriaMajumdar) June 19, 2019
20 years later
Same venue, Last over
SA get eliminated from the tournament#WC2019 #WC1999— Gaurav Sundararaman (@gaurav_sundar) June 19, 2019
Kane Williamson – you beauty! Captain Cool
What a knock under pressure
Class act – Kept losing wickets at regular intervals but Williamson kept his cool
South Africa have not beaten New Zealand in a World Cup game since 1999!#SAvNZ #NZvSA #CWC19— Sarang Bhalerao (@bhaleraosarang) June 19, 2019
Never in doubt…. Ship steadied. #NZLvSAF #ICCWorldCup @BLACKCAPS
— Grant Robertson (@grantrobertson1) June 19, 2019
Auckland 2015: NZ beat South Africa by 4 wickets in the last over.
Birmingham 2019: NZ beat South Africa by 4 wickets in the last over.
This is also NZ's 5th consecutive win against South Africa in World Cup matches. #CWC19
— Mazher Arshad (@MazherArshad) June 19, 2019
