NEWS
Follow UsSouth Africa’s bad days are not behind them as of yet. After losing the three-match ODI series to Afghanistan earlier this month, they lost their first-ever T20I against Ireland on September 29 (Sunday).
The Irish, who were trailing 0-1 in the two-match series in Abu Dhabi, UAE, beat the Proteas by 10 runs to register their maiden win in this format against the T20 World Cup 2024 finalists and also level the series 1-1.
After winning the toss and opting to field first, South Africa were hit by a storm called Ross Adair. Opening the batting in only his 10th T20I, he along with Paul Stirling, put on 137 for the first wicket. Though Stirling got out, Ross continued to plunder the inexperienced Proteas bowling attack.
The 30-year-old became only the third Irishman to score a T20I century, which was also his maiden ton for the national team. Ireland posted 195/6 in their 20 overs.
Chasing the target, the top three batters–Ryan Rickleton (46), Reeza Hendricks (51) and Matthew Breetzke (51) of the team from Rainbow Nation scored big. Despite that, they lost the plot and after being 121/1, needing 75 off 46 balls, they ended up scoring 185/9 and eventually lost the match.
While it was Ross with the bat, Mark Adair, junior of the two brothers, did the damage with the ball for the Irish side, in what culminated in an Adair show in Abu Dhabi. He took 4/31.
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