The much-awaited SA vs NZ final is finally upon us, with New Zealand proving the obvious favorites having dominated the tri-series thus far. With four victories from four games, the Kiwis go into the final with a clean slate and bags of confidence. South Africa, meanwhile, has been inconsistent and lacked team balance, but will hope to redeem themselves in the final.
New Zealand: Clinical and Confident
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New Zealand has produced a series of clinical performances in spite of grappling with major player losses like Kane Williamson, Lockie Ferguson, and Finn Allen. Led by new head coach Rob Walter, who has had stints with South Africa, the Kiwis have circulated their team well and continued to gain traction.
Standout performers are:
Jacob Duffy who has been outstanding with his bounce and short-pitched spells, particularly against South Africa. Tim Seifert and Rachin Ravindra are chipping in regularly with the bat. New Zealand also recorded the series’ highest score (190) and highest powerplay score (57/1).
South Africa: Desperate for Stability
South Africa, with the new leadership of Shukri Conrad, has had a patchy run so far. Without several regulars, including captain Aiden Markram, they could not find a settled XI. Though they beat Zimbabwe twice, South Africa have yet to beat New Zealand in this series, having lost both their earlier matches.
Concerning issues:
Shuffling the batting order: South Africa have often looked a batter short. Underperforming top order: Greenhorn batters like Lhuan-dre Pretorius are yet to be seen. Team composition still in the mix, with all-rounders such as Muthusamy, Linde, and Bosch set to play.
Battle of coaches: Walter versus Conrad
A compelling subplot to this NZ vs SA final is the coaching showdown between Shukri Conrad (SA) and Rob Walter (NZ). Walter took South Africa to the final of the 2024 T20 World Cup but stepped down after a disastrous bilateral series record. Walter now mentors New Zealand to better success, while Conrad is finding his feet with a transitional South African side.
Players to Watch: Lhuan-dre Pretorius and Jacob Duffy
Lhuan-dre Pretorius (South Africa)
Has entered the international team following the topping of the SA20 run-charts. Managed just 32 runs in 4 innings and has not been able to adjust to different match situations. Allowing him to make a mark in advance of the Australia tour.
Jacob Duffy (New Zealand)
Taking his opportunity with Ferguson and Jamieson being unavailable. All 5 of his wickets are against South Africa, including some scorching balls. The economy rate of 6.36 reflects his control and effectiveness on Zimbabwean pitches.
Probable XIs: SA vs NZ Final
South Africa (Probable):
Reeza Hendricks
Lhuan-dre Pretorius (wk)
Rassie van der Dussen (c)
Rubin Hermann
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Dewald Brevis
Senuran Muthusamy
George Linde
Corbin Bosch
Nandre Burger
Nqaba Peter / Kwena Maphaka
Lungi Ngidi
New Zealand (Probable):
Tim Seifert (wk)
Devon Conway
Rachin Ravindra
Daryl Mitchell
Mark Chapman
Michael Bracewell
Mitchell Santner (c)
Zakary Foulkes
Will O’Rourke
Matt Henry / Adam Milne
Jacob Duffy
Pitch Report and Conditions
In 5 out of 6 matches, teams have opted to chase. Seamers had great back-of-a-length bowling. Spinners had very little impact. Expect around 8 and an over rise. Afternoon conditions are a fraction harder for a team batting first.
Head-to-Head: SA vs NZ in T20Is
Overall T20I record: South Africa lead 11-6
In multi-team competitions, SA were unbeaten against NZ
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