Hey there, cricket fans! Imagine this: the sun dipping low over the lush green hills of St. Vincent, a packed stadium buzzing with excitement, and two teams locked in a battle that comes down to the very last ball. That’s exactly what unfolded on June 14, 2024, when the mighty South Africa National Cricket Team vs Nepal National Cricket Team Match Scorecard in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. It was match 31 of Group D, played at the Arnos Vale Ground in Kingstown, and folks, it was the kind of game that keeps you glued to your seat, yelling at the TV, or cheering from the stands.
I’m talking about a match where South Africa scraped together just 115 runs for 7 wickets, a total that seemed like it might not be enough on a tricky pitch. But Nepal? They came oh-so-close, finishing at 114 for 7, falling short by a single run. Yes, you read that right—a one-run victory! It’s the stuff of cricket legends, a reminder that in this beautiful game, anything can happen, no matter how big or small the teams on paper.
If you’re new to cricket or just tuning in, don’t worry. I’ll break it all down in simple terms, like we’re chatting over a cup of tea (or a cold one, if that’s your vibe). We’ll dive into the teams, the drama of the scorecard, key moments that had hearts racing, standout players who became heroes (and almost-heroes), and why this match will be talked about for years. And of course, I’ve got a full, easy-to-read table with the complete scorecard so you can relive every wicket and boundary. Let’s get into it—because trust me, this wasn’t just a game; it was pure magic.
The Stage is Set: Two Teams, One Dream
First off, let’s meet our players. South Africa, the Proteas, rolled into the 2024 T20 World Cup as one of the favorites. They’ve got a star-studded lineup with power-hitters like Quinton de Kock and Heinrich Klaasen, all-rounders who can turn games like Aiden Markram, and a bowling attack that’s pure fire with Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortje. Led by captain Markram, the Proteas were unbeaten coming into this match, chasing Super 8s glory after a tough group stage. But here’s the thing: T20 cricket loves an underdog story, and Nepal was ready to write one.
Nepal, making waves in their second T20 World Cup appearance, brought heart, hustle, and a bit of Himalayan grit. Captained by the cool-headed Rohit Paudel, they had exciting openers like Kushal Bhurtel and Aasif Sheikh, explosive middle-order batsmen such as Kushal Malla, and a spin wizard in Sandeep Lamichhane. For a nation where cricket is growing faster than you can say “sixer,” this was more than a match—it was a chance to shock the world. Nepal had already pushed boundaries in the tournament, and beating a giant like South Africa? That would’ve been the fairy tale ending.
The pitch at Arnos Vale was no batting paradise. It was slow, with some grip for spinners and a bit of uneven bounce—perfect for a low-scoring thriller. Nepal won the toss and, smartly, chose to bowl first, figuring the dew might help them chase later. Little did they know, this decision would lead to one of the tightest finishes in T20 World Cup history.
South Africa’s Batting: A Gritty Grind to 115/7
Batting first is always a gamble in T20s, especially on a surface that’s more cunning than a fox. South Africa knew they needed a solid start, but Nepal’s bowlers came charging like warriors from the mountains. Openers Quinton de Kock and Reeza Hendricks looked to attack early, but the ball wasn’t coming on to the bat nicely. De Kock, the big-hitting wicketkeeper-batsman, tried to loft one over cover but holed out to Karan KC off Sompal Kami in the third over. Just 12 runs on the board, and the Proteas were 1 down.
Enter Aiden Markram and Hendricks to steady the ship. Markram, playing his first big tournament as captain, played some elegant shots, including a couple of boundaries that got the crowd going. But Nepal’s pace attack, led by the fiery Gulshan Jha and the wily Abinash Bohara, kept things tight. Hendricks fell soon after, caught behind off Bohara for 18, leaving South Africa at 40/2 after the powerplay.
This is where the middle order had to dig deep. Tristan Stubbs joined Markram, and the duo pushed the score along with singles and the occasional boundary. But just as they were building, disaster struck—Stubbs was run out in a mix-up, gone for 18. Heinrich Klaasen, the destroyer in chief for South Africa, walked in with intent. He smashed a quick 21 off 15 balls, including a massive six that echoed around the ground. For a moment, it looked like he might take off.
But Nepal’s spinners turned the screw. Dipendra Singh Airee, that crafty off-spinner, got Klaasen stumped, and suddenly the Proteas were 78/4 in the 14th over. David Miller, the veteran finisher, and Marco Jansen tried to rebuild, but the required rate was creeping up. Miller looked good, flicking shots to the leg side, but he was dismissed LBW off Lamichhane in a controversial call—Nepal reviewed, and it stood, much to the South African dismay.
In the end, it was a scramble. Tabraiz Shamsi, the chinaman bowler, chipped in with a quick 7 not out, and Kagiso Rabada survived a few balls to help post 115/7. It wasn’t fireworks; it was more like a survival thriller. Nepal’s bowlers, especially Lamichhane (2/18) and Airee (2/24), deserved every bit of praise. The total felt under par, but in T20s, defenses win championships. South Africa knew their bowlers had to create magic.
Nepal’s Chase: So Close, Yet So Far – 114/7
Chasing 116 in T20s sounds doable, right? Especially with 20 overs to play with. But on this pitch, it was like climbing Everest with a backpack full of bricks. Nepal’s openers, Kushal Bhurtel and Aasif Sheikh, started cautiously. Bhurtel, the stylish left-hander, tried to pierce the off-side field but edged one to slip off Anrich Nortje in the second over—gone for a duck. 0/1, and the pressure was on.
Aasif Sheikh, though, was Nepal’s rock. The wicketkeeper-batsman played with patience, rotating the strike and punishing loose balls. He built a crucial 50-run stand with Anil Sah, who chipped in with 17 before falling to the spin of Tabraiz Shamsi. Shamsi, oh man, where do we even start with him? The left-arm wrist-spinner was unplayable, his googly and flippers turning the game on its head.
Captain Rohit Paudel joined Sheikh, and for a while, Nepal were in cruise control. Paudel looked compact, picking singles and even smashing a boundary off Marco Jansen. But Shamsi struck again—Paudel swept straight into Klaasen’s gloves for 4. 61/3 after 10 overs, and the asking rate jumped to over 8. That’s when Kushal Malla, the big-hitting all-rounder, walked in. Malla’s reputation precedes him; he’s got that power to clear boundaries effortlessly. He smashed two massive sixes off Shamsi and Jansen, pulling Nepal back into the contest. Suddenly, 70/3, and the Nepali fans were dreaming.
But cricket, as we know, loves to twist the knife. Malla holed out to long-on off Aiden Markram for a quick 36 off 22—pure heartbreak. Dipendra Singh Airee, fresh off his bowling heroics, tried to steady things with Sheikh, who by now was on 40. They needed 30 off the last five overs. Enter the death overs, where nerves turn to jelly.
Sompal Kami came and went, run out for 5 in a moment of madness. Gulshan Jha added a few, but Shamsi returned for his final over—the 18th—and it was spellbinding. He dismissed Airee (caught for 9) and then trapped Karan KC LBW for 0. Nepal slipped to 104/7 with 12 needed off 12 balls. Last man standing: Aasif Sheikh, unbeaten on 43, the glue that held it together.
The 20th over, bowled by Kagiso Rabada, was tension personified. Singles here, a dot there—Nepal clawed to 114. But on the final ball, with 2 needed for a historic win, Sheikh pushed for a quick single. Heinrich Klaasen, lightning behind the stumps, whipped off the bails in a flash. Run out! Nepal all out for 114/7. South Africa win by 1 run. The stadium erupted, players hugged, and Nepal’s dreams shattered—just like that.
The Full South Africa National Cricket Team vs Nepal National Cricket Team Match Scorecard: Every Run, Every Wicket at a Glance
To make it super easy, here’s the complete match scorecard in a simple table. I’ve kept it straightforward—no jargon overload. Batsmen’s scores, bowlers’ figures, fall of wickets—it’s all here. Print it out if you want to discuss with your mates!
South Africa Innings
| Batsman | Dismissal | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s | Strike Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Q de Kock (c) | c KC off Kami | 4 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 66.67 |
| R Hendricks | c †Sheikh off Bohara | 18 | 25 | 1 | 0 | 72.00 |
| A Markram (c) | c Malla off Airee | 30 | 31 | 2 | 0 | 96.77 |
| T Stubbs | run out (Jha/†Sheikh) | 18 | 21 | 1 | 0 | 85.71 |
| H Klaasen (wk) | st †Sheikh off Airee | 21 | 15 | 1 | 1 | 140.00 |
| D Miller | lbw b Lamichhane | 15 | 14 | 1 | 0 | 107.14 |
| M Jansen | c Bhurtel off Malla | 5 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 83.33 |
| T Shamsi | not out | 7 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 233.33 |
| K Rabada | not out | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| Extras | (lb 5, w 12) | 17 | – | – | – | – |
| Total | 115/7 (20 overs) | 115 | 121 | 7 | 2 | 95.04 |
Fall of Wickets: 12-1 (de Kock, 2.4 ov), 40-2 (Hendricks, 7.3 ov), 58-3 (Stubbs, 11.5 ov), 78-4 (Klaasen, 13.6 ov), 95-5 (Miller, 16.5 ov), 107-6 (Jansen, 18.5 ov), 111-7 (Markram, 19.3 ov)
Nepal Bowling
| Bowler | Overs | Maidens | Runs | Wickets | Economy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| S Kami | 4 | 0 | 16 | 1 | 4.00 |
| K KC | 2 | 0 | 15 | 0 | 7.50 |
| A Bohara | 4 | 0 | 26 | 1 | 6.50 |
| G Jha | 3 | 0 | 20 | 0 | 6.67 |
| DS Airee | 4 | 0 | 24 | 2 | 6.00 |
| S Lamichhane | 2 | 0 | 18 | 1 | 9.00 |
| K Malla | 1 | 0 | 11 | 1 | 11.00 |
Nepal Innings
| Batsman | Dismissal | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s | Strike Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| K Bhurtel | c Markram off Nortje | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| A Sheikh (wk) | run out (Klaasen/†) | 43 | 46 | 3 | 0 | 93.48 |
| A Sah | c Klaasen off Shamsi | 17 | 22 | 1 | 0 | 77.27 |
| R Paudel (c) | c †Klaasen off Shamsi | 4 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 57.14 |
| K Malla | c Miller off Markram | 36 | 22 | 2 | 2 | 163.64 |
| DS Airee | c de Kock off Shamsi | 9 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 128.57 |
| S Kami | run out (Stubbs/Markram) | 5 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 125.00 |
| G Jha | not out | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 66.67 |
| K KC | lbw b Shamsi | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| S Lamichhane | not out | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.00 |
| A Bohara | did not bat | – | – | – | – | – |
| Extras | (lb 4, w 3) | 7 | – | – | – | – |
| Total | 114/7 (20 overs) | 114 | 115 | 7 | 2 | 99.13 |
Fall of Wickets: 0-1 (Bhurtel, 0.5 ov), 50-2 (Sah, 9.1 ov), 61-3 (Paudel, 11.2 ov), 104-4 (Malla, 16.4 ov), 104-5 (Airee, 17.1 ov), 104-6 (Kami, 17.2 ov), 104-7 (KC, 17.3 ov)
South Africa Bowling
| Bowler | Overs | Maidens | Runs | Wickets | Economy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| K Rabada | 4 | 0 | 27 | 0 | 6.75 |
| A Nortje | 4 | 0 | 18 | 1 | 4.50 |
| M Jansen | 3 | 0 | 23 | 0 | 7.67 |
| T Shamsi | 4 | 0 | 19 | 4 | 4.75 |
| O Baartman | 2 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 5.00 |
| A Markram | 3 | 0 | 13 | 1 | 4.33 |
Key Moments That Defined the Drama
What makes this match unforgettable? Let’s rewind to the bits that had everyone on the edge.
- The Early Wobble: South Africa’s top order crumbling to 40/2. Nepal’s bowlers smelled blood, and for a second, 100 looked like a dream.
- Klaasen’s Fireworks: That six from Heinrich Klaasen? It was a reminder of why he’s one of the best. He gave the innings a pulse when it was flatlining.
- Malla’s Middle-Order Mayhem: Kushal Malla’s 36 off 22, with two sixes, turned the chase on its head. Nepal fans thought victory was theirs—until Markram pulled off a stunner.
- Shamsi’s Sorcerer’s Spell: Player of the Match Tabraiz Shamsi with 4/19? Unbelievable. His three wickets in the 18th over alone swung the game. That googly to trap KC LBW? Chef’s kiss.
- The Last-Ball Heartbreaker: With 2 needed, Aasif Sheikh’s push for a single, and Klaasen’s rocket throw. Run out by inches. Nepal’s dejection vs. South Africa’s joy—pure emotion.
This wasn’t just stats; it was storytelling through cricket.
Heroes and Heartbreaks: Standout Performances
Let’s give props where due. For South Africa, Shamsi was the magician, his variations bamboozling Nepal’s batsmen. Markram’s 30 and that crucial wicket with his part-time off-spin showed captaincy beyond numbers. Klaasen? Not just the runs, but that match-winning run-out—talk about all-round impact. Even Rabada, wicketless but economical, held the nerve in the death.
Nepal’s Aasif Sheikh was a warrior, carrying the chase on his back with 43. Malla’s aggression nearly stole the show, and their bowlers—Lamichhane and Airee—kept South Africa to a gettable total. Heartbreak for Paudel and co., but what fight! This loss knocked Nepal out of Super 8s contention, but it put them on the map. Bangladesh sneaked through instead, while South Africa marched on unbeaten.
Stats corner: This was South Africa’s lowest successful T20 World Cup defense (116), and the joint-second lowest in T20I history. One-run wins? Rare as hen’s teeth—only a handful in World Cups.
Why This Match Matters: Cricket’s True Spirit
Look, cricket isn’t always about 200-plus chases or hat-tricks. Sometimes, it’s these gritty, low-scoring duels that remind us why we love it. South Africa vs. Nepal showed the gap between full members and associates is shrinking. Nepal punched above their weight, forcing errors from a top team. For kids in Kathmandu or Cape Town watching, it’s inspiration: dream big, fight hard.
South Africa learned to defend the undefendable, building resilience for the knockout stages (spoiler: they made the final!). Nepal? They’ll head home heroes, with heads high. As Markram said post-match, “Adapting to conditions is the great challenge of cricket.” Amen to that.
In a World Cup full of upsets—from USA beating Pakistan to Afghanistan’s heroics—this thriller ranks top. It was SEO gold for “nail-biting cricket finishes,” but more importantly, it was joy for fans of all ages.
Wrapping Up: A Game to Remember
Whew, what a ride! From de Kock’s early exit to that final run-out, the South Africa National Cricket Team vs Nepal National Cricket Team Match Scorecard clash was 115 runs of pure adrenaline. If you’re a stats nerd, pore over the table. If you’re in it for the feels, replay those moments in your mind. Cricket, at its best, unites us—whether you’re 8 or 80, cheering for the underdog or the favorite.
