SHAMSI STANDS UP TO THE PRESSURE AS PROTEAS BEAT NEPAL IN THRILLER

Tabraiz Shamsi enjoyed a spectacular entrance to the ICC Men's T20 World Cup with a match-winning haul of 4/19 to spur the Proteas' to a nail-biting one run victory over Nepal.

The Paarl Royals wrist-spinner was not required for the three matches in New York, but was called on to replace Durban's Super Giants left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj for Saturday's final Group D clash in Saint Vincent and Grenadine.

On a turning surface that saw the Nepalese spinners restrict the Proteas to just 115/7, Shamsi had to haul out his full bag of tricks to preserve his team's unbeaten start to the competition.

The Proteas have now won all four of the group matches and move on to the Super Eight phase with a 100% record.

Shamsi claimed the wickets of Kushal Bhurtel and Nepalese captain Rauhit Paddle upfront, but the Asian nation recovered to move within touching distance of victory at 99/3 in 17.2 overs.

At that stage, Nepal required just 16 runs to win off 16 balls with seven wickets in hand and the well-set Aasif Sheikh at the crease.

But that's when Shamsi struck twice within four balls to expose Nepal’s inexperience under pressure when he firstly removed Dipendra Singh Airee and then the big wicket of Sheikh for 42.

With new batters at the crease, the Proteas seamers were able to put the squeeze on as Sunrisers Eastern Cape’s Ottniel Baartman enhanced his pedigree once more by holding his nerve at the death to defend just eight runs off the final six deliveries.

Baartman was struck for a boundary off the third ball of the over, but he recovered well to close out the game with Gulshan Jha run out off the final ball that handed the Proteas' victory by the barest of margins.

“Definitely relieved, we came here with the goal of finishing this stage four out of four. Little bit closer than we’d like but the team is standing up to the pressure and that’s nice to see,” Shamsi said.

“Anywhere we go in the Caribbean I assume there’s going to be turn. Our fast bowlers did a great job in New York but I think it’s going to be up to the slower bowlers here. They utilized conditions beautifully, I think the wicket did get a little better later on. 

“We’ve been under pressure in every single game but we’ve stood up to it so that’s a great thing going into the business end of the tournament.”

It certainly was tough going for the Proteas' batters once again the Nepalese spin bowlers made the most of the helpful conditions.

Off-spinner Bhurtel made the biggest inroads with figures of 4/19, but it was the return of star mystery spinner Sandeep Lamichhane, who kept the initial brakes on as he only conceded 18 runs in his four overs too.

There was, however, a welcome return to form for Joburg Super Kings opener Reeza Hendricks (43 off 49 balls, 5x4, 1x6), while Sunrisers Eastern Cape's Tristan Stubbs ensured the Proteas would ultimately post a winning total with 27 not out off only 18 balls (2x4, 1x6) at the backend.