If there is a match that can be picked as the one that spectators have thoroughly enjoyed, it would be the South Africa-England match at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Saturday. England fans, despite losing the match, were happy that they ended topping their group. South African fans were a bit disappointed to be out of the World Cup but were thrilled that they had beaten England. England fans were at their loudest, cheering and singing for their team.

Since the press box in Sharjah is an open one and close to the spectators, at the end of the match a South African fan was heard saying: “I got to see 368 runs being scored, witnessed a hat-trick (by Kagiso Rabada) and made England bow to us. Had Dussen (Rassie van der Dussen, 94n.o)) too hit a century, it would have been the perfect T20 match of the world.”

Almost namesake

Most South African fans had a lot of information about their players. One of them remarked that Van der Dussen made an impact playing for a team similar to his name called Vancouver Knights in the Global T20 in Canada and emerged as the highest scorer. Before the match, Dussen had appealed to all South African fans through his Twitter page to watch their team play in a ‘Big Crunch’ match against England.

None thought that he was inviting everyone to watch one of his finest knocks. When Dussen played a scoop shot off Mark Wood for a six, a fan said that it would have made Sri Lanka’s Tillakaratne Dilshan, well-known for his scoop shot, known as Dilscoop, proud. When Dussen and Makram were in full flow, the score forecaster pushed the prediction from 160 to 176 to 183. But South Africa beat the forecaster and ended up posting 189 runs.

Fond memories

South Africa’s Aiden Markram, who hit an unbeaten 52, has fond memories of the UAE. It was under his captaincy that South Africa had won the 2014 Under-19 World Cup here.

That earned him the honour of the first South African to lift a World Cup. All England players wore black armbands in remembrance of their former fast bowler Alan Igglesden who passed away on November 1 due to a brain tumour at the age of 57.

He had played three Tests and four ODIs between 1989 and 1994. His last Test wicket was that of West Indies’ Jimmy Adams. He had also dismissed Desmond Haynes in the past.

Masked magician

Tabraiz Shamsi, who bowled brilliantly to pick two wickets for 24 runs, is famous for his eccentric celebrations after taking a wicket.

He rejoices by demonstrating as if he is driving a bus, which later came to be known as the ‘bus driver celebration’. Now he pulls up a mask over his nose and that has earned him the sobriquet of a ‘Masked Magician’ .