Delhi: The first match of the two-match T20 International series between Ireland and South Africa was played on 27 September at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi, in which South Africa defeated Ireland by 8 wickets. With this victory, the green jersey team has taken a 1-0 lead in the series. The second and last match will be played on the same ground on 29 September.

South African captain Aiden Markram won the toss and decided to bowl first. Batting first, the Irish team scored 171 runs for 8 wickets in 20 overs. Curtis Campher played the biggest inning of 49 runs, in which he hit 1 six and 6 fours in 36 balls. Apart from him, wicketkeeper batsman Neil Rock scored 37 runs. For South Africa, young all-rounder Patrick Kruger performed brilliantly and took four wickets, while Nakaba Peter, Viaan Mulder, Otniel Baartman and Bjorn Fortuin got one wicket each.

Chasing the target of 172 runs, South Africa had a strong start, where Ryan Rickleton and Reeza Hendricks made a partnership of 136 runs for the first wicket. Rickleton played a stormy inning of 76 runs, in which he faced 48 balls and hit 6 sixes and 3 fours, while Hendricks also scored 51 runs.

South Africa achieved the target by losing 2 wickets in 17.4 overs. This is the biggest target successfully achieved on this ground in Abu Dhabi. For Ireland, Craig Young and Mark Adair took one wicket each.

Ryan Rickleton plays like Quinton de Kock

Young South African player Ryan Rickleton is a wicketkeeper batsman like Quinton de Kock and opens the innings. Both the players are left handed batsmen. Rickleton's playing style is exactly like De Kock. Like the former legendary wicketkeeper, he also plays big shots and bats aggressively, so there should be no problem in calling him Quinton de Kock 2.0.