That is all the action we have for you from Mount Maunganui today. Thank you for tuning in and staying with us throughout the coverage. Make sure to join us again for the second match of the series on March 17th in Hamilton. Until then, this is Rashad Mahbub signing off on behalf of M Venkat Raghav and the rest of the team at ESPNcricinfo. Goodbye and goodnight!

Keshav Maharaj: "I think all the plans paid off. The execution was top-notch from our young bowling lineup; whatever we asked them to do, they stood up. It was a little nervy towards the end, but it showed the maturity in Connor [Esterhuizen] and Dian [Forrester] to take it over the line. [Exciting to see the debutants' performances] Very much so. It is exciting to see the depth in the system and how the guys just fit into international cricket. Mokoena was superb today; I couldn't have asked for anything more as a captain, especially with the bat at the end to get us over the line. It's special, but it's back to the drawing board for Tuesday. [Expectations from New Zealand in the upcoming games] We know the world-class side they are, so it's not about getting ahead of ourselves. We will take the positives and be prepared for whatever is thrown at us. Every game is a new opportunity to throw the first punch and be clear with our plans. [50th T20I match] Very much so. It's not every day you get the opportunity to captain your country, but to do it in your 50th match is special, and the win makes it even more so. I'm very grateful. [Bowling Santner out] Definitely. Mitch is in a phenomenal space as a leader and a player, so it's always nice to contribute by getting the big players out. [Any area of improvement?] I think it's just about taking a little more control with the bat. It was a tricky wicket, so maybe we can focus on absorbing pressure and identifying threats better. Mostly, I just want the group to bring the same intensity and energy to the second game. Hopefully, we can put New Zealand under pressure again."

Mitchell Santner: "I think there was a little bit more in it than we thought, especially up front. Also, South Africa bowled really well and put us under pressure from the start. Losing wickets in the powerplay makes it tough from there. I think if you identify that it's doing a little bit early, you maybe have a look. But again, they bowled well. Being four down in the powerplay is always a challenge. Even if we could have potentially scrapped to 120 or 130, we could have played a few tricks in the second innings. It is just one of those games where you reflect on little moments. We have a quick turnaround, so we move on pretty fast. [Next game prep] We pride ourselves on adapting, and we didn't do that quickly today. Hamilton will be a different wicket with different dimensions, so you have to learn on the fly. We will reflect on the batting innings and then move on. You have the luxury of five games, so you obviously don't want to start slow like we did today. Every game you play, you understand their plans and what it looks like going forward. They have a quality side, as they showed today, and we know we're in for a fight for the next four games. [Exciting spell with the ball spinning] It felt a bit strange, but it was nice. If we had 120 or 130, it might have been more exciting, but it was good to see the ball spin. We don't really get that a lot in New Zealand, so I was pretty happy. [Nudge the groundstaff of Hamilton to create a similar pitch] I'd love exactly the same; get a few on the board and then bowl on that. Hamilton is usually a pretty good wicket, so I might tease the groundsman tonight to make a little Bunsen."

Player of the Match, Nqobani Mokoena: "It was quite cool making my debut in the first game. I just went out there and enjoyed it. The whole team was backing me, and I was quite excited. [Three wickets] It is a pretty good feeling. The first two overs didn't really go my way, and I thought I wasn't going to get any, but I just backed my plans, and thank God it came off. [Nervous wait for the first wicket] It was quite cool, and I just relaxed after that. I was like, Okay, at least I got one. [Conditions] The conditions were in our favor as bowlers. It was quite nippy, so I got to use my slower balls and had fun. [Slower balls and bouncers] I've been practicing and just backed my prep. That's it."

Micah: "Got to hand it to Esterhuizen, great innings in the context"

Mustafa Moudi: "13 Extras defending 92 is unacceptable. New Zealand needs to work on controlling those Extras, apart from their Batting for the Next Match !!"

10:04 pm Early on in the powerplay, the pitch had a bit of uneven bounce, which made things slightly tricky, and South Africa lost two wickets. Still they managed to put up 40 runs in that phase. As the innings progressed, the surface started to slow down, which really helped Santner; he was getting plenty of turn and bounce and looked almost impossible to face tonight. That said, the target just wasn't big enough for New Zealand's bowlers to truly defend. South Africa approached the middle overs very sensibly, particularly against the spinners. The batters avoided unnecessary risks and focused on staying at the crease. Debutant Esterhuizen showed great composure to guide his side to the finish, while Forrester also played a brilliant knock, especially considering the pressure of it being his first game. For New Zealand, Santner was easily the standout. He bowled a superb spell, giving away just 8 runs in his 4 overs and delivering 20 dot balls. We'll be back shortly with the post-match presentation after a quick break.

South Africa won by 7 wickets

Free Hit

Jamieson returns to the attack