The Proteas finally showed some fight in the second T20I against Australia in Port Elizabeth on Sunday night.
Embarrassed by 107 runs in the first match at the Wanderers on Friday night, coach Mark Boucher’s men responded in the best possible way to level the series 1-1 with a 12-run victory.
South Africa showed great character to claw their way back into the match after it looked like Australia was strolling to the winning target of 159.
With the scoreboard reading 124/2 and with a little over four overs left in which to get 35 runs, Australia were cruising to a series win.
But the Proteas reminded their fans that they do have some fight, choking their visitors to finish on 146/6 in their 20 overs.
%%%twitter https://twitter.com/hashtag/ProteaFire?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ProteaFire #SAvAUS pic.twitter.com/fypsdmNC5U
— Cricket South Africa (@OfficialCSA)
SA’s bowlers, who have copped a lot of flak recently, finally provided the mixed bag of balls bowling coach Charl Langeveldt asked for.
Lungi Ngidi (3/41) restricted David Warner (67*) and company to just five runs in the 18th over to start building the pressure.
Then, needing 20 off the last two overs, Kagiso Rabada (1/27) conceded just three runs in the penultimate over, before Anrich Nortje finished the job as the Aussies could just get four runs in the last over.
Earlier in the day, captain Quinton de Kock again led from the front to score 70 runs and help SA to 158/4 in their 20 overs.
The two teams now come to Newlands for the series decider on Wednesday.