Right since the inception of the shortest version of the game, South African players has savoured an unprecedented dominance. Their ability to adapt under any circumstance is always an aspect that has made them into one of the best teams in cricket.
From posting acrobatic enterprises on the field to clobbering the best of the bowlers mercilessly, South Africa has shown the world how this game of calculated experimentations is being played. However, with time, the team has lost its edge in T20 cricket and is now a blunt version of their erstwhile invincible selves. However, this story will rotate around the fastest half-centurions from the Rainbow Nation in the wake of their ongoing contest with the Englishmen.
Quinton De Kock – 50 from 17 balls, 2020
In a story of bravery where fortune didn’t really side with the brave, De Kock left the English bowlers reeling in utmost shock and fear.
Chasing a mammoth total of 205, South Africa was off to an absolute blinder, thanks to their skipper’s foolhardy knock of 65 from 22 balls.
Batting alongside Temba Bavuma, De Kock batted with relentless belligerence, hewing away at the visitors.
Smashing 8 sixes and 2 fours, he managed to reach his half-century in 17 balls while South Africa was well set on their course to producing a humdinger victory.
Unfortunately, his heroics wasn’t enough to guide the hosts home, as Chris Wood scalped him for 65, leaving the South African batting order a mountain to climb.
Despite some resistance from Van Der Dussen and Pretorious, England walked away as the victors.
AB De Villiers – 50 from 21 balls, 2016
This was a ruthless display of power from one of the finest batsmen in the world. ABD imposed a merciless onslaught on the English bowlers that saw South Africa winning the match in only 15 overs.
Chasing 172, De Villiers and Amla were in the business right from the word go. De Villiers took the driver’s seat and toyed with the English bowlers as he smoked 6 fours and 6 sixes.
He managed to score his half-century in only 21 deliveries that saw South Africa cruising towards the finishing line. Adil Rashid finally managed to apply the brakes as he removed him with a screamer. However, by the time he was gone, the damage was already too heavy. ABD garnered 71 runs from 29 balls, slaughtering the English bowlers without a second thought.
Quinton De Kock – 50 from 21 balls, 2016
In the 18th match of the 2016 World T20, Quinton De Kock blasted another blitzkrieg that propelled South Africa to a mammoth 229 in the first innings. Opening the innings with Amla, both the African openers were off to a seraphic start as the English bowlers seemed punchdrunk.
De Kock kept on smoking the bowlers in every single corner of the park that saw him carving a few exquisite strokes. He garnered his half-century in just 21 balls that witnessed South Africa cruising to a mammoth total.
The South African wicket-keeper smoked 7 fours and 3 sixes that saw him garnering 52 runs from 23 deliveries before Moeen Ali finally got the better of him. Despite an unprecedented salvo from the South African batsmen, woeful bowling from the bowlers helped England to win the game by two wickets in the end.
Rassie van der Dussen – 50 from 23 balls, 2020
This game is absolutely fresh in the memories of the cricket lovers as Rassie van Der Dussen hammered a blistering knock against England that helped South Africa achieve an astronomical total of 191 for 3.
He came out to bat at a wobbling juncture of the game that where South Africa was reeling from 64 for 3 in 10 overs. The prospect of them blasting anything post 150 seemed bleak. However, the duo of ABD and Dussen played an unstoppable knock that saw them garnering a partnership of 127 runs from 63 deliveries.
Dussen led the charge as he stayed unbeaten at 74 from only 32 deliveries while De Villiers stayed not out at 52 from 37 balls. Dussen struck 5 boundaries and 5 sixes that helped him to inflict punishing damage on the English bowlers.
Much to the woes of South Africa, their bowlers failed again as England managed to wring out a victory in just 17.4 overs, thanks to an untenable partnership between Jos Buttler and Dawid Malan.
AB De Villiers – 50 from 23 balls, 2014
In another World T20 encounter between the two monsters of the T20 format, South Africa came up trumps, thanks to a tempestuous inning from Abraham Benjamin De Villiers. Hashim Amla provided a flying start to the innings as he started hacking away at the English bowlers. However, a mid-innings resurgence from England saw South Africa been rolled back into their integument.
De Villiers started the initial overhaul while joining forces with David Miller and managed to blast his way through a slew of formidable English bowlers that saw him garnering his half-century from just 23 balls. He went on stay unbeaten for 69 from 28 deliveries. He clubbed the English bowlers for 9 fours and 3 sixes. South Africa managed to score 196 for 5 which saw them walking away with the bragging rights by three runs.
Faf Du Plessis – 50 from 23 balls, 2015
In the long list of English bowling dominance by the South African batsmen, this is probably the solitary aberration as Faf Du Plessis laid waste to the Caribbean bowlers without any mercy. After being off to a rocky start that saw them crumbling down to 2 for 21, Du Plessis started trading the West Indian bowlers to the boundaries without any ado.
Joining hands with David Miller for the third wicket partnership, Du Plessis smacked 11 boundaries and 5 sixes as he ruled the roost, propelling South Africa to 231 for 7 with significant assistance from David Miller.
Unfortunately, their bowlers failed to live up to their expectations once again as Chris Gayle, Marlon Samuels and Darren Sammy quelled the South African dreams of a comprehensive victory.
