Twitter Reactions: An insane final over from Lungi Ngidi bags the Proteas a 1-run win at the Buffalo Park

This is the third time South Africa won a T20I by a 1-run margin and first since 2010.

By Suryesh M

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4 Min Read

Lungi Ngidi
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Lungi Ngidi. (Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images)

It is the year of the T20 World Cup and the fireworks have already begun. After some thrilling games of cricket between New Zealand and India, South Africa and England indulged the fans in a nail-biter this time around. In a game where the tide kept shifting from one side to the other, it was the hosts who held their nerve. An insane final over from Lungi Ngidi set it up for the Proteas to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.

England should have never really lost this encounter after the position that they were in. Yet, they rather conceded a win after some poor application. After pulling off this kind of a victory from the jaws of a defeat, scenes were lit in the Proteas camp. They went bonkers and the players celebrated hard. This is the narrowest margins of defeat for England in the shortest format.

After being put in to bat first, South Africa got to a pretty decent start. The openers added 48 runs in double-quick time before Quinton de Kock fell for 31. Most of their batsmen got to starts but couldn’t really convert those into big ones. Yet, the team got to a respectable total of 177/8 in 20 overs. With a 27-ball 43, Temba Bavuma looked highly impressive. The likes of Rassie van der Dussen and JJ Smuts chipped in with 31 and 22 runs respectively while Chris Jordan accounted for two wickets.

Lungi Ngidi defends 7 runs in the last over

England got off to that kind of a start with which they’d have been more than pleased. Jason Roy scored 70 off only 38 deliveries before he was dismissed in the 15th over. At 132/3 after 14.2 overs and with Eoin Morgan going well, they’d have thought they had this game in the bag. But then, they lost a couple of quick wickets and it was down to 23 off 12 balls.

In the 19th over off Beuran Hendricks, Eoin Morgan took things under control once again with some big hits. They got 16 runs in that over but lost the skipper for 52 off 34. With only 7 runs required and with Moeen Ali and Tom Curran in the middle, Lungi Ngidi was asked to bowl the last over.

And boy, what an over he bowled! He gave two runs off the first ball but dismissed Tom Curran off the next delivery. The third ball was a dot while England stole another two off the fourth. Off the final two deliveries, Lungi Ngidi picked up two wickets to hand South Africa a memorable win.

Here is how Twitterati reacted:

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