South Africa edge past Zimbabwe in tri-series, Pretorius stars with career-best 94

South Africa edge closer to tri-series final with commanding win over Zimbabwe

South Africa secured a 43-run victory over Zimbabwe in Windhoek, with Lhuan-dre Pretorius smashing a career-best 94 to lead the Proteas to 185/7 before Bjorn Fortuin and Duan Jansen dismantled the Zimbabwean batting lineup for just 142.

The win keeps South Africa's hopes alive in the tri-series between the three ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2027 hosts, with the Proteas now holding two wins from their three matches.

Klaasen's advice sparks Pretorius revival

Pretorius had endured a lean patch coming into the match, managing only 9 and 22 in the first two T20Is of the tri-series after two sub-20 scores at The Hundred. The 20-year-old reached out to Heinrich Klaasen, the recently retired South Africa batter known for his consistency in white-ball cricket.

"Coming off a couple of low scores in The Hundred and the first two games here, I just feel like I had to speak to him," Pretorius explained. "He's obviously played a lot of T20 cricket around the world, and he's experienced most things: all the ups and all the downs, lows and highs".

Klaasen's advice was simple but effective: "He just told me to give myself the best chance I can, and get to 15 balls and put those small targets in. That's all I was focused on". The approach worked immediately, by his 15th ball, Pretorius had raced to 25 runs including four boundaries.

Century denied in frustrating finale

Opening the batting alongside Jordan Hermann, who made 28, Pretorius helped South Africa reach 59 by the end of the first Powerplay at nearly 10 runs per over. He reached his second T20I half-century in just 27 balls and continued at a blistering strike rate of 184.31, the highest of his 16 T20I innings.

Dewald Brevis provided explosive support with back-to-back no-look sixes against debutant Kundai Matigimu in the 12th over. But Brevis fell in the 16th over, missing out on his third consecutive fifty in the series, and triggered a collapse.

Pretorius faced just 12 deliveries between the 16th and 19th overs as wickets tumbled around him, with four dismissals falling for 20 runs in 17 balls. He was eventually bowled by a Brad Evans slower ball at the end of the 19th over after moving too far across his stumps, finishing six runs short of what would have been his maiden T20I century.

"I wasn't too fussed about it. I believe that milestones will come and go," Pretorius said. "It's a team sport. If I was worried about my milestone, I should rather play tennis or golf".

Career-best bowling seals dominant win

Zimbabwe, who had scored 195 against Namibia on the same ground, needed a strong start but lost Ben Curran for 4 to Prenelan Subrayen in the second over. Fortuin struck twice in quick succession, dismissing Brian Bennett for 13, caught by Pretorius in a one-handed stunner at short third, and Wessly Madhevere for a duck.

Duan Jansen ripped through the middle order, claiming two wickets in two balls during his second over to leave Zimbabwe at 43/4. Sikandar Raza provided resistance with 45, hitting freely as wickets fell around him, but Fortuin had him caught with clever bowling.

Fortuin and Jansen finished with career-best figures of 4/24 and 3/21 respectively as Zimbabwe were dismissed in the 18th over.

The next match in the series will be between Namibia and South Africa on 3 September in Windhoek.