Van Niekerk cameo, Tunnicliffe fifty give South Africa series win
Van Niekerk's 19-ball 41 took South Africa to their second consecutive 200-plus total, which laid the foundation for a 65-run win
South Africa 201 for 5 (Tunnicliffe 51, van Niekerk 41, Maguire 3-43) beat Ireland 136 for 3 (Prendergast 51*, Tryon 2-24) by 65 runs
Dane Van Niekerk's late blitz on the back of a sedate half-century from Faye Tunnicliffe helped South Africa beat Ireland by 65 runs in the second T20I in Paarl and take an unbeatable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.
Opting to bat, South Africa racked up 201 for 5 in their 20 overs. In reply, allrounder Orla Prendergast scored an unbeaten 43-ball 51 while Leah Paul hit 40 off 29 balls, but Ireland could only manage 136 for 3, falling well short.
In her comeback series, van Niekerk thrashed a 19-ball 41 in the back half of the first innings, taking South Africa past their second consecutive 200-plus total of the series. She struck three fours and three sixes in her knock, also breaking Lizelle Lee's record for most sixes hit by a South Africa batter in women's T20Is (49).
By the time van Niekerk fell to Arlene Kelly, South Africa's run-rate had jumped past ten an over. Chloe Tryon's unbeaten seven-ball 16 in the final overs took them to 201.
Van Niekerk's cameo complemented a slower - but equally crucial - knock by Tunnicliffe at the top of the order. She reached her maiden T20I half-century off 40 balls: the majority of her innings was played alongside fellow opener, Sune Luus, as the two put up a 78-run opening partnership to lay the foundation.
Aimee Maguire dismissed both of them, as well as captain Laura Wolvaardt, returning 3 for 43 in her four overs.
Ireland's batters were slow in their response, scoring 33 runs in the powerplay despite losing no wickets. Tryon sent back both openers - Amy Hunter and Gaby Lewis - as Ireland were reduced to 35 for 2 in the seventh over.
Their run-rate never picked up, but Prendergast and Paul stayed solid in the middle to share a 76-run partnership for the third wicket. Paul finally fell for 40, but Prendergast stayed around till the end to bring up her half-century in the final over, off 39 balls. By then, the result of the match was a foregone conclusion.