The South African batters put a valiant effort in bid for their qualification for the knockouts of the T20 World Cup, eventually piling up 189/2. They had to restrict England within 131, always a difficult ask in Sharjah, to qualify for the semi-finals. England eventually scored 179/8, which meant England, along with Australia, went through.
England won the ross and Eoin Morgan decided to bowl first. They replaced Tymal Mills, out of the tournament with an injury, with Mark Wood, who himself made a return from injury. South Africa went with an unchanged XI.
England got an early wicket when Moeen Ali dismissed Reeza Hendricks in the third over, for just 2. Rassie van der Dussen joined Quinton de Kock and the duo batted confidently till the 12th over as the England pacers leaked runs. Adil Rashid provided the second breakthrough, dismissing de Kock for a 27-ball 34, but England did not get another wicket.
Aiden Markram joined van der Dussen. The pair added an unbroken 103 in 52 balls. They both remained unbeaten and added 103 runs in 8.4 overs. Van der Dussen remained unbeaten on 94, from 60 balls, while Markram got a 25-ball 50. Between them, they hit seven fours and 10 sixes.
Jason Roy and Jos Buttler started confidently in response, racing to 37 in first four overs. However, Roy suddenly felt suffered from cramps in his legs after the first ball of the fifth over and retired hurt. Buttler and Moeen Ali kept playing their shots, until Anrich Nortje got Buttler in the sixth over. In the next over, Jonny Bairstow fell to Tabraiz Shamsi, and England were 59/3.
Moeen and Dawid Malan continued with the hitting. England needed 78 runs in last 7 overs. After Moeen fell to Shamsi, Dawid Malan lofted Dwaine Pretorius for a six. Liam Livingstone responded at the other end with three consecutive sixes off Kagiso Rabada, one of them to 112 metres away. However, both Malan (33) and Livingstone (28) fell to Pretorius, and South Africa needed to defend 14 off the last over.
Rabada started with a hat-trick – the third of the tournament, after Curtis Campher and Wanindu Hasaranga – by dismissing Chris Woakes, Morgan, and Chris Jordan on three consecutive deliveries. England eventually finished on 179/8.
South Africa 189/2 (Rassie van der Dussen 94*; Moeen Ali 1-27) beat England 179/8 (Moeen Ali 37; Kagiso Rabada 3-48) by 10 runs. Player of the Match: Rassie van der Dussen.