Match News and Current Form
Former colleagues Shukri Conrad and Rob Walter are now in opposite dressing rooms and it is Walter who has had the upper hand so far in what has been a test of depth for both nations. New Zealand had to plan for this tri-series without opening batter Finn Allen, all-rounder Glenn Phillips, three fast bowlers (Kyle Jamieson, Ben Sears, Lockie Ferguson) and former captain Kane Williamson, though they have been accustomed to playing without the latter in all formats.
There has been a great spread of runs amongst a squad that has been rotated to give 17 different players some time out on the Harare Sports Club including single games for Jimmy Neesham and Mitch Hay. Four different players have contributed a total of five half-centuries across the Blackcaps’ four wins whilst five bowlers recorded multiple-wicket hauls, though captain Mitchell Santner wouldn’t be particularly pleased with his 15-over figures of 109/4.
South Africa face their own mass of absences, a problem that previous coach Walter often had to deal with in this format in particular, and their replacements just haven’t been able to stand out quite like New Zealand’s in Harare. There were just two half-centuries in their four matches (W2, L2) compared with New Zealand’s five, whilst no bowler has claimed more than three wickets in the tri-series.
That’s despite the likes of Lungi Ngidi, Nqaba Peter and Corbin Bosch playing in three games each. On a similar note, Lhuan-dre Pretorius had great expectations placed upon him after becoming the leading runscorer of the previous SA20 tournament and bullying Zimbabwe in the recent Test series, but has underwhelmed with just 32 runs from his four appearances in this tri-series. He too will need to step up.
Head-to-Head History
This tri-series saw the first time since 2017 that these teams met in a T20I, so the overall record of 11-6 in South Africa’s favour means very little. What’s most important is that the Blackcaps were convincing winners in both games of this series.
Hot Stats and Streaks
The average run rate of this tri-series is 7.85rpo (157 runs per 20 overs)
First innings scores of 155+ in Harare have an 80% win rate, whilst those of under 155 have a 32% winning record
South Africa struck 22 sixes in this tri-series and conceded 16, compared with 17 and 14 for New Zealand
Jacob Duffy claimed 2+ wickets in eight of his last 11 T20Is
Key Players to Watch
Kiwi batter Tim Seifert has made the most of his call-up this week with three scores of 20+ runs as the only man of the series to record multiple half-centuries. The only Protea to dismiss him in this series was fast bowler Lungi Ngidi, whose returns in this format continue to be lean. Only one of his last nine T20Is saw him claim more than one wicket (2-41 @ West Indies).
Betting Analysis
The Blackcaps have been superior to South Africa in all three departments and so New Zealand to win with Tim Seifert to score 20+ runs looks the likely outcome.
