After a disastrous campaign in this year’s Indian Premier League (IPL), Anrich Nortje has returned to fitness just in time for his South Africa national team.
The right-arm pacer starred as the Proteas bowled out South Africa for a paltry total of 77 runs in the first game of the ongoing ICC T20 World Cup 2024. Sri Lanka’s decision to bat first turned into a nightmare when their batsmen failed. to justify his captain’s decision.
Although the Islanders were unable to score at a good clip on the power play, they only lost one wicket on the power play. However, their batsmen simply couldn’t turn things around. The floodgates opened in the eighth over when Anrich Nortje dismissed Kamindu Mendis to reduce Sri Lanka to 32 for 2.
From that position, the Wanindu Hasaranga-led team continued to lose wickets at regular intervals. At the end of the tenth over, they found themselves reeling at 40 for 5. Finally, they were bowled out for just 77 runs in the twentieth over.
Anrich Nortje makes history:
Anrich Nortje made the difference with the ball for South Africa. The fast bowler looked better once again as he picked up 4 wickets for just 7 runs in his four overs. In conducive bowling conditions, the 30-year-old was almost unplayable for the Sri Lankan batsmen.
The impressive spell also helped Anrich Nortje create history by breaking the record for the most economical 4 over spell in the T20 World Cup. The record was previously held by Sri Lanka’s Ajantha Mendis, who had given away just 8 runs in his four overs and took a record six wickets against Zimbabwe in the 2012 T20 World Cup. Nortje, on the other hand, conceded just 7 runs in his 4 over period to create history.
Cheapest 4 over spell in T20 World Cup:
1.75 Anrich Nortje vs Sri Lanka, New York, 2024 2.00 Ajantha Mendis vs Zimbabwe, Hambantota, 2012 2.00 Mahmudullah vs Afghanistan, Mirpur, 2014 2.00 Wanindu Hasaranga vs UAE, Geelong, 2022
Nortje also equaled the record for most four-wicket hauls in the T20 World Cup. He now has three 4-wicket hauls in the tournament, as do record holders Saeed Ajmal and Shakib Al Hasan.