When Dale Steyn Defended 7 Runs in the Final Over Against New Zealand

With his trademark aggression and control, Steyn turned the game around and helped South Africa win a thriller. His fierce attitude and calm execution under pressure made it a memorable moment in T20 history. Let’s now take a closer look at that unforgettable match and his brilliant over.

South Africa vs New Zealand: 2024 T20 World Cup

On March 24, 2014, at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram, South Africa played New Zealand in a Group 1 match of the World T20. New Zealand won the toss and chose to field, hoping to use the pitch’s later assistance for bowlers. South Africa aimed to post a big total with batters like Quinton de Kock, Hashim Amla, and AB de Villiers. New Zealand relied on their balanced lineup to chase. South Africa won by 2 runs, with Jean-Paul Duminy scoring an unbeaten 86 off 43 balls and Dale Steyn taking 4/17.

South Africa Innings

South Africa’s batting started with Quinton de Kock and Hashim Amla facing New Zealand’s bowlers. Their goal was to set a strong total in 20 overs, using their lineup’s depth, including Faf du Plessis, AB de Villiers, and Duminy. Early wickets put them under pressure, but Duminy’s 86 not out off 43 balls lifted them to 170/6.

De Kock and Amla opened, but de Kock struggled against Kyle Mills. In the third over, Mills dismissed de Kock for 4 runs off 8 balls, caught by Luke Ronchi, leaving South Africa at 16/1 after 2.6 overs. Amla focused on steady scoring, hitting singles and doubles. Faf du Plessis, the captain, joined Amla and scored 13 off 8 balls, including two fours. Tim Southee got him out in the fifth over, caught by Nathan McCullum, making the score 32/2 after 4.6 overs.

AB de Villiers came in, expected to dominate, but Nathan McCullum bowled him in the seventh over for 5 off 6 balls, with one four. South Africa were 42/3 after 6.4 overs. The powerplay (0.1–6.0 overs) produced 39 runs and cost two wickets. Amla and Duminy then built a 55-run partnership for the fourth wicket. Amla scored 41 off 40 balls, with two fours, while Duminy started aggressively. Corey Anderson dismissed Amla in the 14th over, caught off his own bowling, at 97/4.

Duminy took charge, hitting boundaries and sixes. South Africa reached 100 runs in the 15th over. David Miller joined Duminy but scored 6 off 6 balls, with one four, before Anderson dismissed him, caught and bowled, at 131/5 in the 17.2nd over. Albie Morkel came in, scoring 13 off 8 balls, including a six. He and Duminy added 28 runs in 14 balls. Southee dismissed Morkel in the 19th over, caught at 159/6.

Duminy finished unbeaten on 86 off 43 balls, with 10 fours and three sixes, at a strike rate of 200. He reached his fifty off 31 balls and dominated the final overs, hitting Southee and Anderson hard. Dale Steyn was not out on 1 off 1 ball. New Zealand’s bowlers struggled late and Mills took 1/29 in 4 overs, Southee 2/46 in 4 overs, and Anderson 2/28 in 3 overs. Nathan McCullum took 1/24 in 4 overs, while Mitchell McClenaghan (0/30 in 4 overs) and Kane Williamson (0/13 in 1 over) were less effective.

Only one wide was bowled. South Africa scored 39 runs in the powerplay, 58 runs from overs 7 to 15, and 67 runs in the last five overs and Duminy’s 86, with a 55-run stand with Amla and a 28-run stand with Morkel, was key. The innings started slowly but ended strongly, with Duminy’s late hitting against Southee’s 46 runs and Anderson’s 28 runs pushing the total to 170/6. This set New Zealand a target of 171, needing 8.55 runs per over.

New Zealand Innings

New Zealand needed 171 to win, requiring 8.55 runs per over. South Africa’s bowlers, led by Steyn, Imran Tahir, and Morne Morkel, aimed to defend the total. New Zealand’s batters, including Martin Guptill, Kane Williamson, and Ross Taylor, started well but fell short at 168/8 in 20 overs, losing by 2 runs.

Guptill and Williamson opened, scoring 57 runs for the first wicket, and Guptill made 22 off 25 balls, with three fours, before Albie Morkel dismissed him, caught by de Kock, in the eighth over at 57/1. Williamson scored 50 off 31 balls, with five fours and two sixes and New Zealand reached 50 runs in 6.2 overs, with the powerplay (0.1–6.0 overs) yielding 47 runs without loss.

Brendon McCullum joined Williamson but scored 4 off 4 balls before Imran Tahir stumped him off de Kock in the ninth over, making it 66/2. Williamson and Ross Taylor added 51 runs for the third wicket. Williamson’s 51 off 35 balls ended when Steyn dismissed him, caught by de Villiers, at 117/3 in the 14th over. New Zealand reached 100 runs in 11.3 overs. Taylor scored 50 off 26 balls, with two fours and three sixes.

Colin Munro scored 7 off 8 balls, with one four, before Tahir dismissed him, caught by Amla, at 140/4 in the 16.3rd over. Corey Anderson made 7 off 4 balls, with one four, but Steyn got him caught by Miller at 148/5 in the 17.3rd over. New Zealand reached 150 runs in the 18th over, needing 21 runs off the last two overs. Luke Ronchi scored 5 off 3 balls, with one four, before Steyn dismissed him, caught by de Kock, at 164/6 in the 19.1st over.

The final over, bowled by Steyn, needed 7 runs. Nathan McCullum scored 4 off 4 balls, with one four, before Steyn dismissed him, caught by du Plessis. Taylor, on 62 off 37 balls with four fours and three sixes, was run out on the last ball attempting a second run, leaving New Zealand at 168/8. Tim Southee was not out on 0. Steyn took 4/17 in 4 overs, with an economy of 4.25 and Tahir took 2/27 in 4 overs, and Albie Morkel took 1/13 in 2 overs. Morne Morkel gave 0/50 in 3 overs, and Lonwabo Tsotsobe gave 0/29 in 4 overs. Duminy bowled 3 overs for 0/30. New Zealand had 6 extras (2 leg byes, 4 wides).

New Zealand scored 47 runs in the powerplay, 71 runs from overs 7 to 15, and 50 runs in the last five overs and the 57-run opening stand and 51-run third-wicket partnership kept them close, but Steyn’s final over, conceding 4 runs, and Taylor’s run-out cost them. South Africa’s bowling, led by Steyn’s 4 wickets, secured a 2-run win.