Connor Esterhuizen delivered a T20 innings for the ages, bludgeoning a scintillating 75 off just 33 balls to propel South Africa to a series-clinching 33-run victory over New Zealand in the fifth and deciding T20 International at Hagley Oval in Christchurch on Wednesday.

The Proteas posted a formidable 187/4 on a spiteful track offering uneven bounce before their bowlers strangled the Black Caps’ chase, restricting the hosts to 154/8 to seal a thrilling 3-2 series triumph after being 2-1 down heading into the final two matches.

Esterhuizen’s pyrotechnics, featuring six maximums and five boundaries, proved the difference on a surface where timing proved elusive for almost everyone else. While teammates scratched around for runs, the dynamic batsman found the middle of the bat with alarming regularity, transforming what looked like a par total of 150 into a match-winning 187.

Gerald Coetzee, Wiaan Mulder, and Ottneil Baartman claimed two wickets apiece to ensure South Africa’s bowlers finished the job their batting maverick had started.

Stuttering start before Esterhuizen ignites

Asked to bat first, South Africa’s innings spluttered out of the blocks as openers Tony de Zorzi and Mulder struggled to pierce the field on a troublesome deck. De Zorzi managed just 12 (14), while Mulder laboured to 31 (29) balls despite launching successive sixes over midwicket off offspinner Cole McConchie in the ninth over which leaked 18 runs.

Rubin Hermann provided some middle-order impetus with a muscular 39 (31) balls, depositing seamer Ben Sears into the stands with a towering six. But his promising knock ended with a stunning one-handed grab in the deep by Nick Kelly off Sears, while Mulder had already departed after miscuing a drive against medium pacer Josh Clarkson straight to mid-off.

At 125/4 with six overs remaining, South Africa appeared destined for a total hovering around the 150 mark, competitive but far from commanding on a pitch offering assistance to the bowlers.

Then Esterhuizen shifted through the gears.

Death-overs demolition

The final five overs yielded a staggering 62 runs as Esterhuizen treated the Christchurch crowd to a masterclass in clean hitting. McConchie bore the brunt of the onslaught, with Esterhuizen depositing him for a brace of slog-swept sixes in the 17th over which haemorrhaged 15 runs.

Dian Forrester joined the party with an unbeaten 21 off just 13 deliveries, both he and Esterhuizen smashing Kyle Jamieson for legside sixes in the penultimate over which yielded 19 runs.

But Esterhuizen saved the finest stroke for last. In the final over, he unleashed an extraordinary six over extra cover off the back foot against Sears, a shot of such audacity and timing that it left the crowd gasping.

His magnificent innings ended one delivery later when he sliced a full toss to long-off, but the damage was done. South Africa had posted 187/4, and suddenly the Proteas were overwhelming favourites to clinch the series.

Proteas bowlers strangle the chase

New Zealand’s run chase never truly ignited. Opener Tim Robinson managed just a solitary boundary in his 25 from 20 balls before a rocket throw from the deep by Jason Smith caught him short attempting a desperate second run. Out by a metre.

Dane Cleaver briefly threatened with 22 (17) before slicing Baartman to Smith at backward point, while left-hander Kelly crawled to 14(18) balls, testament to the challenging batting conditions, before edging Keshav Maharaj onto his stumps.

Bevon Jacobs proved the lone exception to New Zealand’s collective struggles, smashing three sixes off Maharaj to race to 36 from just 19 balls. Like Esterhuizen, Jacobs located the sweet spot with unerring regularity, but his cameo ended when he chipped Baartman to Forrester at wide long-on.

The equation had ballooned to 47 required from the final two overs, game effectively over.

Series comeback complete

The victory completed a remarkable turnaround after South Africa lost the second match by 68 runs and the third by eight wickets to trail 2-1. But successive victories in Wellington on Sunday (19 runs) and Christchurch on Wednesday (33 runs) sealed a 3-2 series triumph that looked unlikely just days earlier.

South Africa claimed the opener by seven wickets before those consecutive defeats threatened to derail their campaign entirely. Credit to the Proteas for regrouping when it mattered most, with Esterhuizen’s fireworks providing the decisive blow in the series decider.

As the players shook hands at Hagley Oval, one thing was abundantly clear: when Connor Esterhuizen finds his range, few bowlers on the planet can contain him. New Zealand learned that lesson the hard way.