T20 World Cup 2021, Match 39: England vs South Africa, Stats Review: Kagiso Rabada’s sensational hat-trick takes Proteas to consolation win

Spare a thought for South Africa! They put up a sensational fight against the mighty England team and even recorded a 10-run win. However, it couldn’t earn them a semi-final berth in the T20 World Cup 2021. It’s the Three Lions who are through to the knockout stage and so are their arch-rivals Australia. The Proteas side certainly has a lot of takeaways from the campaign. However, they would be gutted to end their journey in the Super 12.

Speaking of how the game panned out, the coin landed in England’s favour and Eoin Morgan didn’t have any hesitation in batting first. South Africa got off to a terrible start as opener Reeza Hendricks got out after scoring just two runs. Quinton de Kock then joined forces with Rassie van der Dussen and the duo brought South Africa’s innings back on track. De Kock’s dismissal brought Aiden Markram in the middle and the youngster shone again.

Van der Dussen and Markram slammed half-centuries as South Africa posted 189/2. However, in order to qualify for the semis, they needed to restrict the Three Lions below 131. To their dismay, that didn’t happen as most of the England batters chipped in with crucial cameos. Their win also seemed certain at one stage. However, Kagiso Rabada’s sensational hat-trick in the last over took South Africa home.

Meanwhile, here are the important stats and numbers from England vs South Africa clash in T20 World Cup 2021:

4 – Kagiso Rabada became the fourth bowler to bag a hat-trick in T20 World Cups.

1 – Rabada also became the first South African to claim a hat-trick in the shortest international format.

5 – Rabada also became the fifth bowler ever to claim hat-tricks in both ODIs and T20Is.

24 – Aiden Markram has smashed 24 T20I sixes in 2021, most by any batter in a calendar year.

6 – Markram recorded his sixth fifty-plus score in T20Is in 2021, the joint third-most for any player. He shares the record with Jos Buttler.

94 – Rassie van der Dussen recorded his highest score in T20Is, 94. His previous highest was 73 not out.

94 – Van der Dussen also registered the highest score by a South African player in T20 World Cups. He went past Herschelle Gibbs’ 90 not out against West Indies in 2007.

2,500 – Van der Dussen also completed 2,500 runs in international cricket.

5 – Markram and Van der Dussen recorded South Africa’s fifth-highest partnership for the third wicket in T20Is, 103.

36 – Tabraiz Shamsi now has 36 T20I wickets in 2021, the joint-most for a player in a calendar year. He shares the record with Wanindu Hasaranga.

4000 – Liam Livingstone completed 4000 runs in T20 cricket.

240 – Jos Buttler became the highest scorer in the Super 12 stage of the T20 World Cup 2021, completing 240 runs. He went past Charith Asalanka’s tally of 225 runs.

13 – Buttler has now smashed 13 sixes in the T20 World Cup 2021, the most for any player.