South Africa Edge Nepal by One Run in Thrilling T20 World Cup Encounter

In a thrilling encounter at the ICC T20 World Cup, South Africa narrowly defeated Nepal by one run in a nail-biting finish. Heinrich Klassen's decisive run-out on the final delivery secured the victory for the Proteas, dashing Nepal's hopes of advancing to the Super Eight stage.

Nepal's spinners had dominated the South African innings, restricting them to a modest 115/7. Reeza Hendricks anchored the Proteas' batting with 43 runs, while Tristan Stubbs contributed an unbeaten 27 off 18 balls. Kushal Bhurtel and Dipendra Singh Airee shared seven wickets for Nepal.

In response, Nepal's top-order batsmen looked comfortable in their chase, reaching 85/2 by the 14th over. However, South African spinner Tabraiz Shamsi turned the tide with a brilliant spell, taking 4/19 to put immense pressure on the Nepali chase.

Fast bowlers Anrich Nortje and Ottneil Baartman held their nerve in the final two overs, leaving Nepal needing eight runs from the last over. Gulsan Jha struck a boundary off the third ball, bringing the equation down to two runs from the last ball.

In a dramatic twist, Klassen's quick reflexes and sharp throw caught Jha short of the crease, sealing a memorable win for South Africa. The victory broke Nepalese hearts and ended their hopes of advancing in the tournament.

However, fans on social media raised concerns about a potential umpiring error. They argued that the last ball should have been called a wide, as it was over the batsman's head. Screenshots shared on social media supported their claims.

Despite the controversy, South Africa's victory was a testament to their resilience and determination. They will now face the United States in the Super Eight stage on Wednesday, June 19.

Tags: #T20WorldCup, #SAvsNEP, #HeinrichKlaasen, #UmpiringControversy, #NepalHeartbreak