Nini, Hlubi Trigger Late Collapse as Proteas Women Clinch 5-0 Clean Sweep

BULAWAYO – The Proteas Women survived a spirited run chase from Zimbabwe to seal a hard-fought 13-run victory in the fifth and final T20I at Queens Sports Club on Saturday afternoon, putting the finishing touches on an emphatic 5-0 series sweep.

Having dominated the opening encounters with explosive batting and clinical bowling displays, South Africa faced their stiffest test of the tour in the finale. However, clutch middle-order contributions from Kayla Reyneke and Anneke Bosch set up a total of 164/6, before a late three-wicket burst apiece from Nthabiseng Nini and Ayanda Hlubi halted an inspired Zimbabwean charge.

Match Summary

South Africa Women: 164/6 in 20 overs (Reyneke 34*, Bosch 33, Smit 30, Tunnicliffe 25; Mavunga 3/46)
Zimbabwe Women: 150/8 in 20 overs (Ndhlovu 38, Mugeri-Tiripano 33; Nini 3/19, Hlubi 3/24, Wyngaard 1/18)
Result: South Africa Women won by 13 runs
Player of the Match: Nthabiseng Nini (South Africa)
Player of the Series: Anneke Bosch (South Africa)
Series Result: South Africa Women win the 5-match series 5-0

Reyneke, Bosch Steady Ship After Top-Order Wobble

Electing to bat first, the Proteas got off to a flying start courtesy of Faye Tunnicliffe, who struck six boundaries in an electric 25 off 13 balls. Miane Smit kept the momentum going with a quickfire 30 off 22 deliveries, guiding South Africa to a healthy 56/1 inside the Powerplay.

Zimbabwe’s bowlers fought back admirably in the middle overs. Nyasha Gwanzura removed Karabo Meso (6), Beloved Biza accounted for Smit, and Kudzai Chigora dismissed captain Laura Wolvaardt (7) to leave the visitors reeling at 79/4 in the 11th over.

Faced with mounting pressure, series standout Anneke Bosch joined forces with Kayla Reyneke in a vital 75-run stand for the fifth wicket. While Reyneke anchored the recovery with an unbeaten 34 off 31 balls, Bosch chipped in with a calculated 33 off 27.

Though Michelle Mavunga (3/46) removed Bosch and Annerie Dercksen in the final over, a flurry of boundaries from Dercksen helped propel the Proteas past the 160-mark, finishing on a competitive 164/6.

Hlubi and Nini Strike to Turn the Tide

Zimbabwe’s pursuit began on the back foot as Hlubi trapped Gwanzura lbw before Nini struck in her opening over, taking a sharp return catch to remove Lorraine Pemhiwa for a wicket-maiden.

At 22/2, the hosts appeared in familiar trouble, but an 80-run third-wicket partnership between Kelis Ndhlovu (38 off 30) and Chipo Mugeri-Tiripano (33 off 38) flipped the script. Capitalising on loose deliveries, the duo took the attack to the South African spinners, steering Zimbabwe into a commanding position at 102/2 in the 14th over.

With the game slipping away, Caitlin Wyngaard (1/18) provided the breakthrough, cleaning up Mugeri-Tiripano with the first ball of the 14th over.

The dismissal triggered a dramatic collapse. Hlubi produced a devastating double-strike in the very next over, having Ndhlovu caught in the deep before removing Biza for a golden duck.

Nini then applied the finishing touches to a breakout tour. The 21-year-old seamer bowled Zimbabwe stand-in skipper Josephine Nkomo (11) and had Sharne Mayers (19) caught behind in the 18th over. Nini closed out her spell with outstanding figures of 3/19, while Hlubi claimed 3/24, restricting Zimbabwe to 150/8.

A Comprehensive Tour Wrapped in Gold

The victory rounded off a flawless tour for South Africa, who showed depth across all facets of the game.

Anneke Bosch was crowned Player of the Series after finishing as the tour’s top run-scorer with 214 runs across four innings at an average of 71.33, headlined by her career-best 83 in the opener and 65 in the second match.

Meanwhile, Nthabiseng Nini took home the Player of the Match award, finishing a dream debut international tour as the leading wicket-taker of the series. With youth stepping up alongside seasoned performers, the Proteas leave Bulawayo with plenty of positives and a convincing 5-0 series trophy in tow.