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South Africa maintained their unbeaten streak by narrowly defeating West Indies in Antigua. This victory marked their seventh win in the World Cup, securing their spot in the semi-finals.
Joining South Africa in the semi-finals is England, while USA and West Indies have been eliminated. West Indies’ campaign ended with consecutive losses to England and South Africa.
Batting first, West Indies managed 135/8 in 20 overs, struggling with frequent wicket losses. Leg-spinner Tabraiz Shamsi shone with three crucial wickets.
In a rain-affected match, South Africa chased a revised target of 123 runs in 17 overs using the DLS method. The chase was challenging with early dismissals including Quinton de Kock (12) and skipper Aiden Markram (18). Contributions from Tristan Stubbs (29) and Heinrich Klaasen (22) proved vital in securing the win.
In the 8th over, Klaasen’s dismissal lifted West Indies’ spirits. Alzarri Joseph executed a strategic plan, delivering a precise bouncer that Klaasen couldn’t handle. The ball glanced off his gloves and spiraled into the air. Behind the stumps, Pooran tracked its path meticulously, diving to make a tumbling catch near the edge of the circle.
Marco Jansen played a composed innings, scoring 21 runs off 14 deliveries to guide South Africa to victory. Kagiso Rabada remained unbeaten on five runs from three balls. This marks South Africa’s first semi-final qualification in the T20 World Cup since 2014, although they are yet to clinch the title.
Notably, South Africa’s seven wins in this World Cup edition are the highest in any single T20 World Cup tournament. It’s also the third time they have won seven consecutive T20I matches, previously achieving this feat in 2009 and 2021. This successful streak is a departure from their past reputation of faltering in crucial matches, showcasing their resilience and determination in this tournament.
“Lot of relief to get through to the semifinal. We would have liked to be a lot more convincing. The wicket was playing nicely after the rain break but we tried to kill the game too early. It put us in a tricky position but happy to get over the line. We bowled really well, assessed conditions and kept them to a sub-par total” said Aiden Markram after their win over the Windies.
South Africa and England have secured their spots in the semi-finals and are now awaiting the qualifiers from Group 2. India, Australia, and Afghanistan are all contenders for the remaining semi-final berths. A loss for Australia against India would pave the way for India and Afghanistan to advance to the semi-finals. Afghanistan’s victory over Australia has rejuvenated their chances in the competition.
