South Africa secured their third consecutive win in the Zimbabwe T20 Tri-Series on July 20, defeating Zimbabwe by seven wickets. They chased down Zimbabwe's 144/6 in 17.2 overs, with 16 balls remaining.
The tournament started on July 14 with South Africa defeating Zimbabwe in the first match. With strong performances from Linde, Brevis, and debutant Hermann, South Africa won the tri-series opener. Three South African players, Corbin Bosch, Rubin Hermann, and Lhuan-dre Pretorius made their T20I debuts in that game.
New Zealand started strong against South Africa on July 16. Despite losing five wickets early at 70/5, they reached 173/5 with Tim Robinson unbeaten on 75 and key contributions from Jacob Duffy. New Zealand then restricted South Africa to 152, winning by 21 runs according to ESPNCricinfo.
The tournament format is a double round-robin where each team will play the other twice in T20I matches. The two best proceed to the final on July 26.
Injury concerns have significantly impacted squad compositions. Finn Allen was initially ruled out due to a foot injury, while Glenn Phillips was ruled out of the series due to right groin injury on 18 July. New Zealand brought in Devon Conway, Mitchell Hay, James Neesham and Tim Robinson as replacements.
South Africa leads the tournament with three wins from three matches. Their strong batting lineup clearly showed when they easily chased Zimbabwe's target. The Proteas have been consistently good, handling various match situations well, whether defending or chasing.
New Zealand has shown resilience despite injuries. Tim Robinson’s key innings helped them beat South Africa. Now, they must win as many remaining games as possible to stay in the title race, despite losing Glenn Phillips and Finn Allen.
Zimbabwe has struggled in the tournament despite playing at home. They have not made use of the familiar conditions at Harare Sports Club. Their batting has been unreliable, and they have often failed to score enough runs to compete.
The fifth match between New Zealand and South Africa on July 22 could greatly impact the championship standings. Zimbabwe needs to improve in their remaining games to avoid finishing last in the tri-series.
South Africa is the top pick to win because of its strong overall performance. New Zealand has a deep batting lineup and diverse bowling attack and will be stronger when injured players return. Zimbabwe must improve tactics and performance to compete better at home.