NZ vs SA 3rd T20I Highlights: Kiwis take 2-1 series lead without breaking a sweat, easily chase target in 8-wicket win

NZ vs SA 3rd T20I Highlights: No fuss for New Zealand in Auckland. The bowlers restricted the Proteas to 136/9 in the first innings, allowing no partnerships, and the chase was never too difficult. Tom Latham scored 63* to guide it home as the Kiwis won by 9 wickets with four overs to spare.

NZ vs SA 3rd T20I LIVE Score: New Zealand celebrate a wicket during their comfortbale 8-wicket win in Eden Park. (AFP)

NZ vs SA 3rd T20I Highlights: New Zealand and South Africa head into the third T20I with the series finely balanced and the margin for error already shrinking. After two sharply contrasting matches, today's contest at Eden Park in Auckland feels like the first real pressure point of this five-match battle. The hosts were blown away in the opener, then hit back hard in Hamilton, and now both sides have a chance to seize momentum before the series enters its decisive stretch....Read More

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• 20 Mar 2026, 02:55:28 PM IST

  NZ vs SA 3rd T20I LIVE Score: Emphatic win – New Zealand win with 22 balls and 8 wickets to spare!

  NZ vs SA 3rd T20I LIVE Score: A consolation wicket with scores tied for the Proteas, but it's not enough – it's a clinical, all-round win from New Zealand, who get home with ease and plenty of time to spare.

  Latham top scores with 63*, in total control, after the bowlers set things up.

• 20 Mar 2026, 02:46:52 PM IST

  NZ vs SA 3rd T20I LIVE Score: Just five runs needed now!

  NZ vs SA 3rd T20I LIVE Score: Ouch! Robinson gets pinned on the side by a beamer, and makes sure he gets his revenge on the free hit with four.

  One hit away now. 132/1 with 5 overs to play.

• 20 Mar 2026, 02:36:16 PM IST

  NZ vs SA 3rd T20I LIVE Score: Fifty for Latham!

  NZ vs SA 3rd T20I LIVE Score: It hasn't been the most fluent but it hasn't needed to me – saw out the new ball when things were at their riskiest, and guided this chase expertly. Top knock from Latham, reaches his half-century.

• 20 Mar 2026, 02:32:56 PM IST

  NZ vs SA 3rd T20I LIVE Score: Conway dismissed – but too little too late?

  NZ vs SA 3rd T20I LIVE Score: Keshav Maharaj strikes! Removes Conway, caught be Hermann – but with just 41 needed now, this shouldn't move the needle too much.

  South Africa hoping this is the start of an almighty collapse.

• 20 Mar 2026, 02:22:03 PM IST

  NZ vs SA 3rd T20I LIVE Score: 81/0 after 9.1

  NZ vs SA 3rd T20I LIVE Score: Brief pause in play as some sawdust and drinks are brought on to the field.

  56 from 65 needed with all 10 wickets in hand. This is only going one way.

• 20 Mar 2026, 02:11:36 PM IST

  NZ vs SA 3rd T20I LIVE Score: DROPPED! Bad to worse for SA

  NZ vs SA 3rd T20I LIVE Score: Not getting any easier. Latham hits a can of corn down to deep midwicket, and that should be a very simple catch. The fielder makes the ground, is there with time to spare – but it simply pops out of his hands. Poor fielding.

  Six off the last ball of the over to make things even worse. 71/0 after 8. 66 needed off 72.

• 20 Mar 2026, 01:59:53 PM IST

  NZ vs SA 3rd T20I LIVE Score: 21-run over! New Zealand well on top

  NZ vs SA 3rd T20I LIVE Score: Six and four from Latham, six and four from Conway! Both openers tee off and now they're making the batting look easy!

  47/0 after 5 overs – run-a-ball needed from here.

• 20 Mar 2026, 01:53:50 PM IST

  NZ vs SA 3rd T20I LIVE Score: 26/0 after 4

  NZ vs SA 3rd T20I LIVE Score: Now Mokoena's over goes for 14. A scoop from Latham, and the last ball is down leg and tickles off the thigh pad for four more.

  The chase is up and running.

• 20 Mar 2026, 01:46:07 PM IST

  NZ vs SA 3rd T20I LIVE Score: Five wides! Coetzee loses his discipline

  NZ vs SA 3rd T20I LIVE Score: Another stellar over, except for one bad ball which costs five runs! Fired wide down leg and that's five wides from the moment it left Coetzee's hand.

  12/0 after 3.

• 20 Mar 2026, 01:40:51 PM IST

  NZ vs SA 3rd T20I LIVE Score: 5 off the first two overs

  NZ vs SA 3rd T20I LIVE Score: Conway does get away a four but run-scoring still doesn't look easy. Good bowling from South Africa.

• 20 Mar 2026, 01:35:59 PM IST

  NZ vs SA 3rd T20I LIVE Score: Back for the chase!

  NZ vs SA 3rd T20I LIVE Score: Welcome back! Tom Latham and Devon Conway open the batting, Gerald Coetzee with the new ball.

  137 needed – Proteas need big wickets.

• 20 Mar 2026, 01:23:16 PM IST

  NZ vs SA 3rd T20I LIVE Score: Bang! Mokoena ends with six, SA end with 136/9

  NZ vs SA 3rd T20I LIVE Score: Shot! Mokoena hammers a big six down the ground, and ends the innings as top-scorer from number 10. Good knock from him.

  Something for the Kiwis to bowl at – 137 the target. Kiwis favourites, but South Africa have just a touch of momentum.

• 20 Mar 2026, 01:15:33 PM IST

  NZ vs SA 3rd T20I LIVE Score: Smacked! That six will help

  NZ vs SA 3rd T20I LIVE Score: Short and wide, and Mokoena isn't fooled by the slower ball! His second six of the innings – very useful contributions.

• 20 Mar 2026, 01:12:10 PM IST

  NZ vs SA 3rd T20I LIVE Score: 117/9 with 2 overs to play

  NZ vs SA 3rd T20I LIVE Score: Couple of overs left with numbers 10 and 11 at the crease, Mokoena and Sipamla will want to swing at everything and try to get a couple of boundaries at least.

• 20 Mar 2026, 01:05:22 PM IST

  NZ vs SA 3rd T20I LIVE Score: Timber! Sears gets another, 9 down

  NZ vs SA 3rd T20I LIVE Score: Maharaj tries to give him the charge and hammer him, but it;s too quick and accurate. Good bowling, stump to stump, and it's now 112/9.

• 20 Mar 2026, 12:57:56 PM IST

  NZ vs SA 3rd T20I LIVE Score: Jamieson again! Ends Coetzee's cameo

  NZ vs SA 3rd T20I LIVE Score: Jamieson with another wicket caught behind! Coetzee tries to guide it down behind the wicket, but glances off the outside edge. Another good low smart catch from Latham – 103/8 now.

• 20 Mar 2026, 12:54:49 PM IST

  NZ vs SA 3rd T20I LIVE Score: Linde next to fall! Jamieson on the board

  NZ vs SA 3rd T20I LIVE Score: Another wicket tumbles! Linde after his four can't square away a cut shot – genuine edge, nicely taken behind the wickets by Latham.

  102/7 now, NZ strike as soon as the Proteas got some momentum.

• 20 Mar 2026, 12:52:32 PM IST

  NZ vs SA 3rd T20I LIVE Score: Coetzee adding crucial runs

  NZ vs SA 3rd T20I LIVE Score: Gerald Coetzee is the kind of player you will always hear can swing the bat – maybe not even a true all-rounder, but with good T20 technique and power. Proving handy for SA here – takes South Africa to 98/6 after 14, then Linde finds the fence too as the 100 comes up finally.

• 20 Mar 2026, 12:45:43 PM IST

  NZ vs SA 3rd T20I LIVE Score: 4, 6! Coetzee goes hard

  NZ vs SA 3rd T20I LIVE Score: Gerald Coetzee picks up the slack! Pulls out a nifty reverse paddle-sweep off Santner for four runs, and then it's all bat speed as the very next ball is hammered hard down the ground. Much-needed.

• 20 Mar 2026, 12:39:40 PM IST

  NZ vs SA 3rd T20I LIVE Score: And Forrester falls! Wickets continue to tumble

  NZ vs SA 3rd T20I LIVE Score: South Africa unable to get any juice moving through this innings. Forrester gets width from Neesham and flashes hard, but doesn't get enough height on it – it's very well taken by backward point inside the ring.

  It's trouble for South Africa, 68/6.

• 20 Mar 2026, 12:32:19 PM IST

  NZ vs SA 3rd T20I LIVE Score: Forrester launches! Important six

  NZ vs SA 3rd T20I LIVE Score: Big 12-run over to add some momentum into this innings! It's been hard for the Proteas batters to play attacking shots but they need to here and there. That will help – Forrester gets one in his arc from McConchie and deposits it straight down the ground.

  62/5 at the halfway mark.

• 20 Mar 2026, 12:24:20 PM IST

  NZ vs SA 3rd T20I LIVE Score: Chopped on! McConchie next to strike

  NZ vs SA 3rd T20I LIVE Score: Hermann has to go! Nothing going South Africa's way, the Kiwi bowlers lining up. Hermann tries to cut McConchie but it's a little too full of a length. Under edge that rockets into his stumps and sends him packing.

  46/5 – big effort needed.

• 20 Mar 2026, 12:20:00 PM IST

  NZ vs SA 3rd T20I LIVE Score: Four down! Santner gets Jason Smith again

  NZ vs SA 3rd T20I LIVE Score: Turning like the subcontinent – Santner is a bowler at the top of his trade at the minute. Slower and looped onto a good length, Smith is far too early through his shot. Loses all shape, thick leading edge which settles in nicely in the hands of point.

• 20 Mar 2026, 12:15:18 PM IST

  NZ vs SA 3rd T20I LIVE Score: De Zorzi's attempt at innovation fails! Three down

  NZ vs SA 3rd T20I LIVE Score: De Zorzi hasn't found his rhythm in the middle, and his innings is at an end! Tries to get across and scoop Ben Sears, but the ball is fast, on a hard length, and moves just enough to cramp up the southpaw. Off the shoulder of his bat, he wants to go through fine leg but the ball loops to short third for another catch instead.

  36/3.

• 20 Mar 2026, 12:09:20 PM IST

  NZ vs SA 3rd T20I LIVE Score: GONE! Santner rushes Esterhuizen

  NZ vs SA 3rd T20I LIVE Score: Second wicket down! Santner brings himself on early, and that's a flat and quick one. Esterhuizen wanted to pounce on it and hit it hard, but it's on to him too quickly. His shot is rushed, and it loops very comfortably to mid on for catching practice. 26/2.

• 20 Mar 2026, 12:00:28 PM IST

  NZ vs SA 3rd T20I LIVE Score: Esterhuizen showing dominance

  NZ vs SA 3rd T20I LIVE Score: South Africa have lost one wicket early. But Esterhuizen has arrived and tried to up the scoring rate showing dominance of the Kiwi bowlers.

• 20 Mar 2026, 11:50:41 AM IST

  NZ vs SA 3rd T20I LIVE Score: Steady start

  NZ vs SA 3rd T20I LIVE Score: A quiet yet steady start. De Zorzi got a boundary in the first over; only six runs were scored in the over. Jamieson found a good rhythm to keep them at six.

• 20 Mar 2026, 11:46:14 AM IST

  NZ vs SA 3rd T20I LIVE Score: All set to start

  NZ vs SA 3rd T20I LIVE Score: So, here we go. Tony de Zorzi and Wiaan Mulder start the proceedings for South Africa with the bat. Kyle Jamieson will open the bowling for the hosts.

• 20 Mar 2026, 11:29:34 AM IST

  NZ vs SA 3rd T20I LIVE Score: Team changes

  New Zealand: Josh Clarkson OUT, Bevon-John Jacobs IN

  South Africa: Ottneil Baartman OUT, Lutho Sipamla IN

• 20 Mar 2026, 11:29:08 AM IST

  NZ vs SA 3rd T20I LIVE Score: Playing XIs

  NZ vs SA 3rd T20I LIVE Score: The playing XIs are here -

  South Africa Playing XI: Wiaan Mulder, Tony de Zorzi, Connor Esterhuizen (wk), Rubin Hermann, Jason Smith, Dian Forrester, George Linde, Gerald Coetzee, Keshav Maharaj (c), Nqobani Mokoena, Lutho Sipamla

  New Zealand Playing XI: Devon Conway, Tom Latham (wk), Tim Robinson, Nick Kelly, Bevon Jacobs, Mitchell Santner (c), James Neesham, Cole McConchie, Kyle Jamieson, Ben Sears, Lockie Ferguson

• 20 Mar 2026, 11:18:37 AM IST

  NZ vs SA 3rd T20I LIVE Score: Toss update

  NZ vs SA 3rd T20I LIVE Score: New Zealand have won the toss and opted to field first.

• 20 Mar 2026, 10:59:49 AM IST

  NZ vs SA 3rd T20I LIVE Score: Series leaders - who has shaped the contest so far

  NZ vs SA 3rd T20I LIVE Score: Two matches in, the numbers already show where this series has turned. Aiden Markram is the leading run-scorer across the first two games, while Devon Conway's 60 in Hamilton pushed him to the top for New Zealand. On the bowling side, the early standout figures have come from New Zealand's quicks in the second T20I, with Ben Sears taking 3 for 14 and Lockie Ferguson 3 for 16 as the hosts bundled South Africa out for 107 after posting 175 for 6. South Africa, though, stil have the comfort of that dominant seven-wicket win in the opener. With the series level at 1-1, individual impact and scoreboard pressure are already defining the rhythm of this contest.

• 20 Mar 2026, 10:46:37 AM IST

  NZ vs SA 3rd T20I LIVE Score: NZ vs SA Head-to-head

  NZ vs SA 3rd T20I LIVE Score: Eden Park may be home turf, but it has not been an easy T20I venue for New Zealand. Ahead of the third match, the series is level at 1-1, yet the broader numbers still lean toward South Africa. The Proteas lead the overall T20I head-to-head 13-9, and they have also won both their previous T20Is in Auckland. New Zealand's own T20I record at Eden Park is unusually modest by home standards too, with 12 wins and 19 losses.

• 20 Mar 2026, 09:58:06 AM IST

  NZ vs SA 3rd T20I LIVE Score: One-all and no room to drift

  NZ vs SA 3rd T20I LIVE Score: After two games that pulled the series in opposite direction, New Zealand and South Africa arrive in Auckland with the contest effectively starting again. South Africa owned the opener with a ruthless bowling show and a calm chase. New Zealand answered in style in Hamilton, where their batting found shape and the bowlers backed it up with control and intent.

  That is what makes this third T20I so compelling. With the series level and momentum up for grabs, Eden Park now hosts the first real swing of the tour.