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New Zealand foundered against South Africa's spinners arsenic the Proteas won the 4th Twenty20 by 19 runs Sunday (March 22, 2026) to level the five-match bid astatine 2-2.
Connor Esterhuizen made a maiden half-century from 33 balls arsenic South Africa scored 164-5 aft choosing to bat. Esterhuizen yet was retired for 57 and his innings made the quality betwixt the teams.
New Zealand was up astatine 63-2 aft the powerplay with Tim Robinson making 32 from 22 balls astatine the apical of the order. But left-armer Prenelan Subrayen took 2-13 connected debut and Keshav Maharaj took 2-22 to chopped done the New Zealand mediate bid and crook the lucifer successful South Africa's favor.
Dane Cleaver made 26 from 16 balls, returning to the New Zealand lineup aft astir 3 years. He was looking unsafe erstwhile helium was beaten and bowled by a Subrayen delivery. Bevon Jacobs was besides bowled by Subrayen erstwhile the shot dipped nether his bat.
Jimmy Neesham (10) was dropped doubly past caught successful the aforesaid implicit from Ottneil Baartman, who took 2-30 from 4 overs.
Maharaj removed Nick Kelly (16) and Cole McConchie (10) arsenic the spinners pinned down the New Zealand batters by varying their gait and flight.
"I thought a full of 164 was astir par, possibly a spot beneath par,” New Zealand skipper Jimmy Neesham said. "We surely had a accidental going into the 2nd fractional of the game.
"A fewer mean options and mediocre execution and we came retired connected the incorrect broadside of it.” New Zealand's already depleted lineup was further reduced by the nonaccomplishment of Tom Latham to wounded and Devon Conway, Mitchell Santner and Lockie Ferguson for the past 2 matches of the series.
Esterhuizen rallied South Africa aft it had mislaid Wiaan Mulder to the 2nd shot of its innings, a maiden bowled by Kyle Jamieson.
The right-hander deed a six and a 4 from the 3rd over, a six and 4 successful the 4th over, a six and 2 fours among 17 runs successful the 5th over, keeping the South Africa run-rate up. South Africa was 50-1 aft the powerplay, its champion commencement of the bid truthful far.
Esterhuizen reached his half-century successful the 10th implicit with a bound from Ben Sears, the sixth 4 of his innings that besides included 3 sixes.
“I conscionable tried to support it arsenic elemental arsenic imaginable to beryllium honest,” Esterhuizen said. "I didn't person overmuch clip to deliberation astir it due to the fact that I was retired determination consecutive away.
“So I conscionable tried to instrumentality to a crippled program and it came disconnected tonight.” Esterhuizen looked acceptable to spell large erstwhile helium was brilliantly caught by Katene Clarke connected debut, moving successful and diving guardant from heavy quadrate leg.
Tony de Zorzi, who was the quiescent spouse successful an 81-run basal with Esterhuizen for the 2nd wicket, was retired adjacent implicit for 23 from 21 balls.
Rubin Hermann and Dian Forrester enactment connected 38 for the 4th wicket, keeping the South Africa full ticking over. Forrester made 19 from 14 balls earlier being trapped lbw by a yorker from Zak Foulkes.
Hermann made an unbeaten 28 from 25 balls, Jason Smith scored 19 from 15 and George Linde added 14 from 8 but New Zealand reined successful South Africa's scoring a small astatine the death. Only 43 runs came from the past 5 overs and Sears allowed lone 1 tally from the bat successful the last over.
The deciding lucifer is astatine Christchurch connected Wednesday (March 25, 2026).
