Dominant New Zealand secure table top with another big win against South Africa

Before their last game in the league stage against the hosts, New Zealand confirmed their top place in the final points table in the T20I tri-series in Zimbabwe after claiming a comfortable seven-wicket win against South Africa. 

While New Zealand and South Africa both have already qualified for the Final of the tri-series, New Zealand skipper Mitchell Santner chose to field first in the fifth game of the tournament. After South Africa were restricted to 134/8 in 20 overs, the Blackcaps chased down the target in 15.5 overs after losing only three wickets. By winning the match with 25 balls remaining, it was the fastest T20I chase for New Zealand against South Africa. 

While the Blackcaps recorded their back-to-back T20I wins against Proteas in this tournament, it was their first consecutive T20I victories against the same team. 

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New Zealand vs South Africa, T20I tri-series: South African innings failed to threaten

South African batting struggled from the early stage of the first innings, as their wickets were falling at regular intervals. Only the opener Reeza Hendricks (41) and George Linde (23*) managed to reach the 20-run marks in that innings. There was no solid partnership in that innings, while the highest was 30 runs for the sixth wicket between Hendricks and Linde. 

Three Blackcaps bowlers bagged two wickets each in that innings, as Adam Milne (2/21) and Mitchell Santner (2/26) controlled the innings along with Jacob Duffy (2/33). 

New Zealand vs South Africa, T20I tri-series: Player of the Match Tim Seifert assured comfortable chase

In reply, the opener and wicketkeeper-batter Tim Seifert, the Player of the Match, almost single-handedly controlled the successful chasing with his 66 not out off 48 balls with the help of six fours and two sixes. Darly Mitchell (20*) was the other to reach the 20-run mark in that second innings. Devon Conway (19), Rachin Ravindra (3), and Mark Chapman (10) were dismissed for cheap scores, while Seifert and Mitchell had a 51-run partnership for the unbroken fourth wicket.