NZ vs SA Live Score

91/10(14.3 ov)
93/3(16.4 ov)
South Africa beat New Zealand by 7 wickets
  • 17th
    1NB226
  • 16th
    1004WD10
  • 15th
    010010
  • 14th
    000010
  • 13th
    111112
  • 12th
    100000
  • 11th
    101112
  • 10th
    W20000
  • 9th
    141021
  • 8th
    110000
  • 7th
    004000
  • 6th
    004B6LB1
  • 5th
    00WD16W0
  • 4th
    024010
  • 3rd
    WD110021
  • 2nd
    010W00
  • 1st
    04LB2000
Current Innings
BattersRB4s6sSR
Dian Forrester
16251064
statsStats
  • Dotball52%
  • Boundaries4%
  • Balls per boundary25
statsRun scored in last balls
  • On 10 Balls8
  • On 20 Balls14
Connor Esterhuizen
45482293.75
statsStats
  • Dotball52.08%
  • Boundaries8.33%
  • Balls per boundary12
statsRun scored in last balls
  • On 10 Balls12
  • On 20 Balls19
  • On 30 Balls32
Partnership:38 runs,7.4 ov (RR: 4.95)Dian Forrester 16 runs, Connor Esterhuizen 20 runs
View Full Partnerships

NZ vs SA Commentary

9:27 AM IST Could not have asked for more - The captain of South Africa, Keshav Maharaj expresses immense pride as his team’s plans and execution proved to be top-notch on the field. He highlights the exciting depth within the South African system, noting that he could not have asked for a better performance from the debutants. Reflecting on the personal milestone of playing 50 T20Is, Maharaj cherishes the rare and special opportunity to captain his country, especially given how clinically his side has performed.
9:25 AM IST South African quicks rip through New Zealand - Earlier, after losing the toss, on a two-paced wicket, South African quicks made the most of the seam movement on offer and piled on the misery for the Kiwis. Having lost five wickets in the powerplay, the home side never recovered. In hindsight, you feel that New Zealand aimed too high, looking at some of the shots that led to their downfall, and perhaps felt this was a better wicket to bat on than it actually turned out to be. The Kiwis were folded for just 91 with Gerald Coetzee, Ottneil Baartman and Keshav Maharaj picking up two wickets apiece, while the debutant Nqobani Mokoena had three to his name.
9:24 AM IST That's all from Mount Maunganui - A quick turnaround for the two sides, with the second T20I of this five-match series set to take place at Hamilton's Seddon Park on Tuesday, 17th March. The match will begin at 6.15 am GMT, but as always, you can join us early for the build-up. Until then, take care and goodbye!
9:23 AM IST We could have adapted better with the bat - New Zealand's skipper, Mitchell Santner says there was probably a little more in the pitch than they initially expected and credits South Africa for bowling well. He adds that it becomes tough after losing wickets in the powerplay and believes his side could perhaps have scraped their way to a slightly better total. Santner says it is one of those games where the team reflects on the small moments. Mentions that the side prides itself on adapting to conditions, but feels that they did not quite manage that on the night. He reckons that 120 or 130 would have made this game exciting. Looking ahead, Santner points out that this series gives teams the luxury of multiple games, though he acknowledges that starting slowly is never ideal. He describes South Africa as a quality side and says the team is ready for a fight in the remaining matches. Shares that he is happy with the amount of turn the surface offered and cheekily says that he won't mind if the surface behaves the same way in Hamilton.
9:18 AM IST PLAYER OF THE MATCH -  The 19-year-old speedster Nqobani Mokoena wins the award on his debut. The debutant finished with figures of 3/26 in 3.3 overs. Mokoena describes the win and his performance as a pretty good feeling while making his debut, even after a tough start where his first two overs didn't go as planned. He notes that the nippy conditions were firmly in the bowlers' favour and shares that he effectively mixed in his slower balls to dismantle the opposition. He expresses his happiness with the way he bounced back to pick up key wickets.
9:11 AM IST Time for the presentation ceremony...

Fall of Wickets SA

  • 7/1
    1.4 OVTony de Zorzi
  • 28/2
    4.5 OVRubin Hermann
  • 55/3
    9.1 OVJason Smith

Recent Performance

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Reviews Remaining: - 1 of 2, - 2 of 2
Reviews Remaining: - 1 of 2, - 2 of 2

Match Details

Venue
Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui
Toss
New Zealand, elected to bat
Series
South Africa in New Zealand, 5 T20I Series, 2026
Series Period
15 Mar 2026 - 25 Mar 2026
Umpires
Chris Brown (NZ), Wayne Knights (NZ) and Kim Cotton (NZ)
Match Referee
Dave Gilbert (AUS)
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