USA team puts up valiant fight, South Africa prevail in Super 8 clash; Rabada takes three wickets

St John's [Antigua and Barbuda], June 19 : Pacer Kagiso Rabada's final over prevented a masterful knock by Andries Gous from outpowering an experienced South Africa, as Proteas defeated a valiant USA by 18 runs in their ICC T20 World Cup game at Antigua on Wednesday.
Chasing 195 runs, USA were 76/5 at one point, but a 91-run stand between Gous and Harmeet Singh took the team close to victory.
USA were off to a fine start as openers Steven Taylor and Andries Gous played some aggressive shots against spinner Aiden Markram and pacer Marco Jansen, with Taylor taking bowlers to the cleaners with some big hits.
Pacer Kagiso Rabada broke their promising partnership at 33, getting Taylor caught behind by Heinrich Klaasen for 24 (two fours, two sixes) in the fourth over.
In the fifth over, Nitish Kumar and Gous hit Jansen for two sixes over wide long-on, bringing up the 50-run mark in five overs.
Rabada's experience came in handy again as yet another promising partnership was cut short with Tristan Stubbs taking a catch at deep square leg to remove Nitish for just eight runs. The USA was 53/2 in 5.3 overs.
At the end of six overs of the powerplay, USA were 53/2, with Aaron Jones, the skipper, joining Gous (17*).
Keshav Maharaj's deceptive spin did the trick in the next over, getting the dangerous Aaron caught for a duck by Quinton de Kock behind the wickets. USA were 56/3 in 6.4 overs.
Despite some attempts to counter-attack by an experienced Corey Anderson, Anrich Nortje smashed his furniture, dismissing him for just 12 runs in 12 deliveries. At the end of 10 overs, USA were 73/4, with Shayan Jahangir (1*) and Gous (23*) unbeaten.
Proteas spinners Tabraiz Shamsi trapped Jahangir leg-before-wicket for just three. The USA seemed falling apart at 76/5 in 11.1 overs.
Gous and Harmeet were not the ones to give up as Harmeet launched Shamsi for two classy fours and Maharaj for a huge six over long-on.
USA reached the 100-run mark in 13.1 overs, still pretty much in the game.
Gous also launched a counterattack against a threatening Nortje, smashing him for two sixes and a four in the 15th over. He reached his fifty in 33 balls, with three fours and three sixes. In the last five overs, USA needed 73 runs, which was not entirely impossible with two set batters at the crease.
Harmeet continued to attack spinners while Gous took on Rabada. The South African pacer also delivered a few extras, adding to Proteas' troubles. The duo reached their fifty-run stand in just 24 balls.
USA were left with 50 runs to get in the final three overs. They reached the 150-run mark in 17.3 overs with Harmeet's massive six over long-on against Shamsi.
Shamsi's 18th over was a disastrous one for Proteas, as two sixes by Gous, a maximum by Harmeet and some extras meant that USA was left to get just 28 runs in the final two overs.
Rabada came in clutch next over, removing a dangerous Harmeet for 38 in 22 balls, with two fours and three sixes. USA was 167/6 in 18.1 overs. Stubbs took a fine catch near deep midwicket.
USA was left with 26 runs to get in the final over, with Rabada's over giving away just two runs.
USA ended their valiant run-chase at 176/6, with Gous (80* in 47 balls, with five fours and five sixes) and Jasdeep Singh (2*) unbeaten.
Rabada (3/18) was the pick of the bowlers for South Africa. Maharaj, Shamsi and Nortje got a wicket each.
Earlier, wicketkeeper-batter Quinton de Kock's 74-run knock helped South Africa put up 194/4 against the United States in the first Super Eight match of the T20 World Cup 2024 at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium on Wednesday.
After winning the toss, the United States decided to bowl against South Africa. However, the Proteas did not disappoint after batting first as they gave a target of 195 runs.
Quinton de Kock (74 runs from 40 balls, 7 fours and 5 sixes) and Reeza Hendricks (11 runs from 11 balls, 1 six) opened for South Africa and made a 16-run partnership after Saurabh Netravalkar removed Hendricks from the crease in the third over.
Aiden Markram (46 runs from 32 balls, 4 fours and 1 six) replaced Hendricks on the crease. Markram and De Kock played a stupendous knock in the first inning and played a 110-run partnership which helped the Proteas add crucial runs on the scoreboard.
Harmeet Singh picked up a crucial wicket for the US after he removed Quinton de Kock in the 13th over. The left-handed batter played at a strike rate of 185.00.
The United States started to dominate on the crease after removing De Kock. Harmeet Singh removed the dangerous David Miller for a duck in the 13th over, when the Proteas were at 126/3.
The final wicket of the first inning came in the 15th over when Saurabh Netravalkar removed South Africa's skipper.
Heinrich Klaasen (36* runs from 22 balls, 3 sixes) and Tristan Stubbs (20* runs from 16 balls, 2 fours) were unbeaten on the crease till the last ball and powered South Africa to 194/4.
The United States displayed an average performance in the first inning. Saurabh Netravalkar and Harmeet Singh were the only wicket-taker for them as they picked up two wickets each in their respective spells.
United States need 195 runs to win the match on Wednesday.
Brief score: South Africa 194/4 (Quinton de Kock 74, Aiden Markram 46, Heinrich Klaasen 36*; Saurabh Netravalkar 2/21) beat United States: 176/6 (Andries Gous 80*, Harmeet Singh 38, Kagiso Rabada 3/18).