Ireland, led by Gaby Lewis, their youngest captain in history, stunned South Africa for only the second time in 11 T20I matches to grab a one-match lead in the three-match series. Ireland is ranked 12th in Twenty20 cricket, and their sole win over South Africa came in August 2016.

This match featured five South Africans and three Irish players from the previous match, including Lewis. She and Leah Paul established their own record for the highest opening partnership in Ireland’s history against South Africa, setting Ireland up for a famous triumph and claiming a piece of history for themselves. After her father, Alan Lewis, captained the men’s team, Lewis is the first daughter of a former Ireland captain to lead the national team.

Lewis and Paul raced to 83 without loss in the first 10 overs, taking advantage of a lacklustre South African performance in the opening part of their innings. They also set a new record for Ireland’s best first-wicket stand against South Africa, surpassing the 78 put up by Lewis and Clare Shillington in Ireland’s previous victory in 2016. Up until that moment, none of South Africa’s six bowlers had threatened in any way, as they struggled to acclimate to the pitch’s slow speed. They offered a lot of deliveries that were too short, and Lewis and Paul responded by pulling hard. The pair went on to record a 98-run opening stand, only 16 short of Ireland’s all-time high against any team.

Lewis, who scored her sixth T20I half-century, was unable to be removed by any of South Africa’s bowlers, but some fielding commitment did. To bring an authoritative knock to a close, she was run-out at the non-end. striker’s South Africa were only able to effectively apply the brakes in the next over, when Shabnim Ismail was brought back on and utilized the slower ball to catch Paul at mid-on.

After 14 overs, Ireland were 107 for 2 and could only muster 36 runs off the next six overs, losing five wickets in the process. Tumi Sekhukhune, whose first three overs cost 27 runs, fought back to take three wickets in her last over, ensuring that no one outside Ireland’s top four reached double digits. Despite this, Ireland scored their highest total in T20Is against South Africa, three runs higher than their previous best of 140 for 4 in a losing cause in 2016.

South Africa’s decision to try out a new opening pair – Lara Goodall and Tazmin Brits – flopped. Rachel Delaney, an offspinner, was assigned to begin the bowling against Goodall, who was caught behind off the first ball of South Africa’s reply, while producing a maiden first over.

Laura Wolvaardt was relegated to No. 4 for South Africa, and while she offered some solidity, her attempt to inject some life into the innings in the ninth over failed. She attempted to cut Cara Murray, but Celeste Raack came up with a great catch, low at backward point, to send the Ireland players into a frenzy.

Chloe Tryon had the perfect opportunity to show off her finishing talents with 48 runs needed off the last five overs. She scored 15 runs off Murray’s 16th over, including a carefree six over midwicket to relieve the burden on her skipper Sune Luus. Lewis, on the other hand, had a trump card up her sleeve. She saddled Paul with bowling the 18th over, after his first two overs had gone for 16 runs. When Tryon went for a slog, she was well beyond her crease, missed, and was stumped. Luus was South Africa’s last true hope, but she was bowled in the penultimate over by newcomer Arlene Kelly. In the final over, South Africa needed 18 runs to win, but neither Nadine de Klerk nor Ismail could get them there.