New Zealand vs South Africa, Final - Live Cricket Score, Commentary

A tri-series in the white-ball format and that's a rarity these days. New Zealand were the best side in the tournament and were rightly crowned champions even though it could well have gone South Africa's way today. Both sides testing out lots of things as they build up to next year's T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka. That's the big prize everyone will be eyeing. These are preps towards that as Matt Henry alluded to in the presentation. On that note, we sign off. It has been fun to bring you all the action from this tri-series. There's lots of cricket going on all around the world. Follow all of them on our platform. For now it's time to escape. Bye bye.

Mitch Santner: The way we were able to hang in there, we knew 180 was a very good score, we could have got a few more. South Africa bowled outstandingly. That was the best surface we have played in this tournament, we knew it was a good score but we had to bowl well. Guys stepped up at different occasions and as a captain it's outstanding. The guys are very clear on what they need to do and that makes my job easier. (on the chat in the last over) Still trying to get hit to the big side, with the way Brevi was striking it, it was tough to stop. We knew we had to get a wicket and the way he executed it was brilliant.

Matt Henry | Player of the Match and Player of the Series: As a group we have been playing some really good cricket. To get over the line against a very good South African team, proud of the guys. We had to drag our lengths back and credit to our team for sticking in there when the openers were going. We knew it would be tougher later if we get wickets. I knew it was one of the last two and it's great to get the last one and when it goes your way it's brilliant. It's great to come here and we have got a big year coming up, with the World Cup and a big home summer as well. This is all the prep for that. The way guys are being brave with their skill-set - that is what we have been asking of people, and hopefully we can build on that.

Rassie van der Dussen: We are proud of our performance. We played a very good game, it's a game of millimetres. Needed a centimetre more and who knows who decides the outcome. The whole series was about trying things and experimenting a bit, guys making debuts, today we played our strongest XI. They are a very good team and an experienced team. We are going to learn a lot and grow a lot from this. Everyone has contributed, especially the young guys, lot of guys are not here, we have got a packed schedule and the last few weeks we have grown as a team.

16:29 Local Time, 14:29 GMT, 19:59 IST: Heartbreak for South Africa. They had the game in their grasp at various stages of their batting innings but New Zealand kept fighting and fighting to sneak through at the end. The openers gave South Africa a fine start and at that stage it looked like the game was out of New Zealand's reach. But they took wickets and two crucial ones in two balls of Rassie and Hermann put South Africa under pressure. Brevis came out and swung it South Africa's way with big hits but Matt Henry with 6 to defend in the final over kept his nerve and was helped by two stunning pieces of fielding which swung it his side's way. Bracewell and Mitchell with blinders under extreme pressure in that final over and with 4 needed to win off the last ball, Muthusamy swung and missed to give New Zealand the win. New Zealand were the best side in this tri-series and deservedly go on to win it remaining unbeaten. But this final loss will hurt South Africa for they had this in the bag for most parts. Stay tuned for the post-match stuff...

Matt Henry to Muthusamy, no run, Matt Henry has done it for New Zealand. Mitchell runs to hug him. And the other New Zealanders come to celebrate. A slower-ball off-cutter and dug in short outside off, Muthusamy pulls and misses, bounces through to Seifert and that's that. New Zealand are the champs of this T20I tri-series

Senuran Muthusamy, left handed bat, comes to the crease

4 off 1. Muthusamy on strike. Henry taking his time. The crowd are into this now.

Matt Henry to Linde, out Caught by Mitchell!! Mitchell you beaut! What a catch and he is pumped. Why not. He has taken a blinder, running to his right at long-on. It's slower and short outside off, Linde pulls well and it's into the gap, looks to be falling safely till Mitchell runs and dives with two hands to take a superb catch. The glasses fall to ground but Mitchell has the ball tightly in his grasp. Gets up and punches the air. The New Zealand players run towards him to celebrate. Linde c Mitchell b Matt Henry 10(10) [4s-1]

Matt Henry to Linde, THATS OUT!! Caught!!

Santner has a chat with Matt Henry. 4 off 2.

Matt Henry to Corbin Bosch, 1 run, Linde falls after completing the first run. So the two is not on. Full on leg-stump, flicked to deep square-leg and it's just one

5 off 3

Matt Henry to Corbin Bosch, 2 runs, dropped by Bracewell at deep mid-wicket. Short outside off, Corbin Bosch pulls and Bracewell runs and dives forward, the sun is in his eyes, even though he is wearing sunglasses, he drops it after getting two hands

Corbin Bosch, right handed bat, comes to the crease

Matt Henry to Brevis, out Caught by Michael Bracewell!! Such calmness from Bracewell at deep mid-wicket. He is on the edge of the boundary ropes and he calmly takes it, realises he is going over, so flicks it back, goes out and comes back in to take it. But is the right foot touching the rope? When the ball is in his hand, the right foot seems to be just away from the rope. Interestingly there's no cushion there where Bracewell's right foot is. That's crucial for if there was a cushion, Bracewell would have made contact with it. Such are the fine margins which can win you tournaments. A short delivery at Brevis who pulls and it's high and a bit more elevation would have seen that go over. Bracewell though is so composed and pulls off such a massive catch with the match on the line. The third ump has a look at the replays and gives it out, going with Bracewell. Brevis c Michael Bracewell b Matt Henry 31(16) [4s-1 6s-3]

Matt Henry to Brevis, THATS OUT!! Caught!!

7 off 5, Brevis has a look at the field.

Matt Henry to Brevis, no run, good ball. Short at Brevis and no room, he still makes room to slash and misses, flies over the top-edge

Matt Henry [2.0-0-16-0] is back into the attack