None of South Africa’s five victories in this World Cup have come easily. During USA’s chase in their first Super 8 fixture, it seemed the Proteas were finally on track for a decisive, confidence-boosting win. At the halfway mark, after 11 overs, the USA required 119 runs from 54 balls with six wickets in hand. Tabraiz Shamsi had just been introduced into the attack and immediately made an impact, dismissing Shayan Jahangir for three off nine balls with his first delivery. At the other end, Andries Gous was batting at 24 off 21. With USA facing such a daunting task, it appeared the door was closing on their chances, and South Africa seemed poised for a significant victory.

However, the momentum began to shift dramatically. Gous, alongside Harmeet Singh, who was batting at number seven, orchestrated a remarkable 91-run partnership off just 43 balls. For the seven overs they batted together, South Africa’s bowlers, whether pacers or spinners, struggled to contain them. The duo’s relentless assault left the Proteas chasing the ball all over the field, and what once seemed like a certain victory for South Africa turned into a frenzied scramble as their bowlers were put under immense pressure.

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Analysis of Andries & Harmeet’s 91-run Partnership against the Proteas

South Africa switched to pace, bringing Anrich Nortje into the attack, but Gous responded with a blistering finish, hitting 4, 2, 6, and 6. This assault gave Nortje a flashback to his poor IPL season, where he had an economy rate of 4.4 runs per over in the league stage. Gous, a South African by birth, was living his dream of being an international cricketer on the biggest stage, but now in a USA jersey. His innings accelerated dramatically from 35 off 29 at the start of the 15th over to 53 off 33.

Harmeet Singh added to the pressure by welcoming Shamsi’s new over with a six, making it 24 runs off the last five balls faced by the duo. This onslaught deflated the Proteas. Shamsi suffered the most during their partnership, conceding 50 runs off his 23 balls, including four sixes. In his last over, the 18th of the innings, he was hit for three sixes, ending with figures of 1/50.

At the end of Shamsi’s last over, the 18th of the innings, the equation had tightened dramatically to 28 runs needed off 12 balls. Just five overs earlier, South Africa had been clear favorites to win comfortably. Now, they were hoping for any margin of victory, even a narrow one like their single-run win against Nepal. Harmeet Singh had reached his highest T20I score, an impressive 38 off 21 balls, surpassing his previous best of 34* against Canada in April 2024.

Primarily known as a left-arm finger spinner, Harmeet’s batting performance was a revelation and arguably the best knock by a left-arm spinner in this World Cup, only rivaled by Shakib Al Hasan’s unbeaten 64 against the Netherlands. This was a significant feat in a tournament featuring top all-rounders like Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Imad Wasim, and Mitchell Santner.

As the 19th over began, Harmeet timed a full toss perfectly but unfortunately found Tristan Stubbs at deep mid-wicket. This dismissal was the breakthrough South Africa desperately needed. The partnership that had put South Africa under immense pressure was finally broken, giving the Proteas a glimmer of hope. Harmeet’s unexpected yet brilliant innings had significantly narrowed the gap, but his departure shifted the momentum back to South Africa.

With the partnership ended, USA could only manage nine runs off the remaining balls, ultimately falling short by 18 runs. Despite their valiant effort, the late resurgence led by Gous and Harmeet wasn’t enough to secure a victory. South Africa, who had looked on the verge of a major upset, managed to clinch the win, albeit by a tighter margin than they had anticipated. The match showcased the unpredictability and excitement of cricket, with fortunes swinging dramatically in a few overs.

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