NZ vs SA Live Score

9:43 AM IST The victorious captain of New Zealand - MITCHELL SANTNER says it was a good performance. Details that it was tricky initially with the bat, but Devon Conway played brilliantly. Shares that he tried to bowl what conditions had to offer, operating on hard lengths and using a couple of tricks. There was a lot more off the surface when he slowed up the pace. Tells there were some nice contributions along the way, and even at the end by Josh Clarkson, which helped them to get an above-par score. On the crowd support, Santner says it's good to be back home after a couple of months in India and looks forward to the support in Auckland.

9:42 AM IST That's a wrap - So New Zealand, with this win, level the 5-match T20I series at 1-1. They were outstanding with the ball and would look to build on it as the series moves ahead. Plenty to ponder for the Proteas after an off day in batting. Right. That's it from this game. The two teams will now head to Auckland for the third T20I. It will be played at Eden Park on Friday, 20th March, with the first ball scheduled to be bowled at 6.15 am GMT. But as always, do join us in advance for all the pre-match buildup and analysis. Until then, we sign off. Thank you for being with us. Take care, cheers!

9:38 AM IST PLAYER OF THE MATCH - DEVON CONWAY wins the award for his fighting knock of 60 from 49 balls. Says that his approach is always to look for partnerships and keep it simple. Adds he tried to adapt to what South Africa were throwing at him, like Gerald Coetzee bowling from around the wicket with the new ball. Admits it was challenging not to be part of the World Cup in India, but had an opportunity to put his feet up and enjoy the boys in action. Mentions he knows this South African team as he has played a lot with these guys growing up.

9:35 AM IST The captain of South Africa - KESHAV MAHARAJ reflects on the defeat. Keshav says they bowled really well but admits that they lost their way with the bat. He notes that while there was dew around, the pitch became tougher to bat on. He praises the seam unit for putting in a strong performance and adds that George’s effort with the bat provided some positives despite the result.

9:32 AM IST ... The Presentation Ceremony ...

9:31 AM IST The choke in the middle phase - With two new batters at the crease, Rubin Hermann and Jason Smith rolled up their sleeves to steady the ship. Just when the stand began to settle in, Neesham broke through around the halfway mark, removing Hermann and tilting things further in New Zealand’s favour. From there, it quickly unravelled for the Proteas as they slipped from 67/4 to 107 all out. Linde tried to spark a brief fightback with a breezy 33, but the Kiwis barged through the lower order, leaving him stranded at the other end as the tail folded. The mounting pressure of the required runs and no stable hand at the other end, ultimately proved too much to handle for Linde.