New Zealand vs South Africa, Final at Harare, ZIM T20 Tri-Series, Jul 26 2025 - Ball by Ball Commentary

slower ball into the track, and a swing for the hills! But no contact of bat on ball, and New Zealand come from behind and snatch victory away from the Proteas in a dramatic, dramatic game of cricket! Henry holds his nerve, even as everyone in a South African jersey failed to around him. This is the ball he has been bowling all over and Muthusamy, despite knowing that might be in the offing, cannot line it up adequately enough. Swings too early, and that means it is now too late for South Africa to redeem themselves in this final. They needed eight off eight. They had Brevis and Linde at the crease. They had everything in their favour. But somehow, somehow, South Africa fall short!

you cannot do that, Daryl Mitchell! A magnificent catch, under the severest of pressure situations, and NZ have a hand on the tri-series now! This is dug into the track outside off. Linde stands tall and forehands it towards long on. Mitchell seems out of the game for the longest while but then he appears from the shadows like a superhero. He tracks the ball adeptly and then lunges low down to his right to snare the chance. What a moment to produce an effort like that, and SA still four away from what seemed an un-botchable chase!

in the air and safe again! And Linde falls over while trying to turn for the second - it is all happening here! Full on the pads. Bosch drop-kicks it into the deep square leg region. The second is on, until it isn't because Linde loses his footing at a very crucial juncture

Bosch slams it towards deep mid wicket and this time, Bracewell shells the chance! Drama in Harare! Another shortish ball outside off. Bosch has a massive mow at it and arrows it flat towards Bracewell, who comes charging in and then makes a hash of it. Might have hit him near the wrist than the palm and that proved pivotal

in the air, and has Bracewell taken it at deep mid wicket?! Oh my - what a moment this could be in this contest! Dug in shorter outside off and Brevis cannot resist the temptation to have a pop at it. Gets a good chunk of it too, but not a good enough chunk from his and South Africa's perspective. The ball hangs in the air for an eternity and when it does come down, Bracewell, right on the fence, takes the catch, before performing a juggling act to complete it. But the question now is whether Bracewell stepped onto the rope before he first made contact. This is touch-and-go. The first angle does not definitively provide an answer. The second one, though, does seem to suggest Bracewell might be fine. The third umpire takes a few looks at it, and decides Bracewell did not step on to the rope. Brevis departs for a 16-ball 31, and this game has been ripped wide open again!

dot ball to start off! Seems a bit of a double-bluff because Brevis is very late to react. Hard length on middle and off, and zipping through. Brevis cannot ramp it away and the ball flies past his blade

hard length just outside off and this seems to skid through a little lower than Linde expects. He swipes across the line and misses, and the keeper does enough to prevent the possibility of a bye

dug into the track outside off. Brevis gets on top of the bounce and hacks it towards deep mid wicket. Probably wanted to pop this over the fence too, but will not be too fussed with the end result

Brevis goes out of the park, and South Africa can feel that tri-series trophy now! Another attempted yorker that ends up as a full toss just outside off. Brevis can get under this and he deposits it onto the roof over long on. What ball-striking, and more importantly, what nerve!

banged into the track wide outside off. Brevis throws the kitchen sink, the plumbing and everything else at it but only swats away a few flies

slower ball on a full length just outside off. Brevis is a tad early into the stroke and drags it towards long on. Mitchell cracks a little under pressure, though, and misfields to allow the second

one-handed swipe baseball style, and guess what, one hand is enough for Dewald Brevis! Juicy full toss wide outside off. Brevis reaches out for it and loses control of his bottom hand doing so. But his swing is so pure that he still clubs it over long on!

full toss outside off and Brevis will feel he has missed out there. The bottom hand comes off and he slices it towards long off. Keeps himself on strike, though

into the blockhole just outside off. Linde digs it out towards extra cover, where Bracewell misses it with his hands, with the ball pinging off his knee towards Santner at mid off

Linde wants a piece of Foulkes too! SA are turning it on! Off-pace and this sits up just the way Linde wants it. Laced with width too and Linde bulldozes it over extra cover!

low full toss just outside off. Brevis looks to tonk that into next week and loses his shape completely. Jams it off the inside edge into his pads, and Linde is alert enough to sneak in a run

Brevis brilliance! And this is probably the shot of the day! Back of a length outside off, and Brevis climbs into this. He rises with the bounce, stands up tall and crrrrrrrrrunnnnnnchhhheesssss it over extra cover!

slower bumper outside off and this comes off very sluggishly. Brevis swipes at it and misses, and the umpire calls it a wide on height, much to NZ's annoyance. Replays indicate that a wide was the right call, however

starts off with a low full toss on leg stump. Linde bunts it down the ground towards long on

back of a length on the pads. Linde glances it towards short fine leg and keeps strike. Superb over by Milne in the circumstances!