Needing just 7 runs with 6 wickets in hand, South Africa looked all set to clinch the tri-nation tournament title in the final over — but Matt Henry had other plans. With a stunning spell of bowling, he sealed a memorable win for New Zealand, all without using a single yorker.
In high-pressure moments at the death, pacers typically rely on yorkers to shut down batters, especially when defending small totals. But Henry defied convention. Instead of firing in toe-crushers, he trusted his variations and strategy to deliver a magical last over that snatched the title from South Africa’s grasp.
After the match, the Kiwi seamer shared the story of that final over — one that will be remembered for its calculated brilliance.
As Henry took the ball for the final over in Harare on Saturday, South Africa needed just 7 runs with six wickets still in hand. Dewald Brevis was well set on 31 off 14 balls and looked dangerous. At the other end was George Linde, capable of finding boundaries.
Henry’s first ball was a hard-length delivery. Brevis attempted a ramp but missed. The second, also a length ball, was lofted confidently — it looked like a six — but wasn’t perfectly timed. At midwicket, Michael Bracewell kept his cool, juggled it twice, and held on to a stunning catch.
The third ball, again a length delivery, was skied in the same region by new batter Corbin Bosch. This time Bracewell couldn’t hold on after a diving attempt — the Proteas picked up two runs.
The fourth delivery was slightly fuller. Bosch sent it toward square leg and looked set for two, but Linde slipped, and they settled for one.
The penultimate ball? Yet another length ball, this time outside off. Linde struck it straight, and it seemed destined for four. But Daryl Mitchell sprinted and dived to his right, pulling off an absolute screamer.
Now, four needed from the final ball. Again, no yorker. Henry bowled a slower length delivery, and left-hander Senuran Muthusamy missed it entirely. New Zealand sealed a thrilling 3-run victory and the title.
Speaking after the match, Henry explained his approach:
“The thinking was to make things as difficult as possible for the batters. If I tried a yorker early and it went for two, suddenly the over gets tough. So we tried to stay positive and take a bit of a risk toward the end — which doesn’t always work, but it did today.”
He added,
“We didn’t have a lot of runs to play with, which helped clarify that we needed to take risks — either a dot ball or a wicket. There was no other option. Then it was just about standing at the top of my mark with clarity, and executing what I wanted. Thankfully, that worked today, and the catches stuck — which was huge.”
Henry credited New Zealand’s fielding unit for the win too. He trusted Bracewell and was blown away by Mitchell’s effort.
“I was just hoping Bracewell would take it. He’s one of our best fielders, so I trusted him. These guys take more catches than they drop, so I wasn’t too worried. That second one was a very tough chance, and not many could’ve taken it. Mitchell is an unbelievable fielder.”
With 10 wickets in the tournament, Henry was named Player of the Tournament. New Zealand won all their group matches and the final to lift the title unbeaten. For new coach Rob Walter — who was coaching South Africa not long ago — it was a triumphant start in his new role.
