New Delhi: South Africa eked out a thrilling win against co-hosts West Indies in their final Super 8 fixture of the T20 World Cup 2024, beating the Rovman Powell-led side by three wickets (DLS method) in a rain-curtailed match at Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua on Sunday. South Africa registered a clean record of seven wins on the bounce, being unbeaten in the group stage and in the Super 8s as well to barge into the semifinals of the T20 showpiece.
The defeat has ended West Indies’ quest for the coveted trophy as they have been knocked out of the tournament enduring two losses in their three Super 8 games. They won their four group-stage fixtures in succession but fell short against defending champions England and South Africa to halt their juggernaut. The Group 2 of Super 8s is all done with their games and it is the Proteas and the Three Lions making it into the penultimate stage of the marquee event.
South Africa have made it to their first T20 World Cup semifinal since 2014 while the record continues for the host nation never winning the T20 World Cup in the nine editions held so far.
What a finish in Antigua 🥵
The Proteas go through to the #T20WorldCup Semi-Finals 🌟#WIvSA 📝 https://t.co/Gv3hNXD6c4 pic.twitter.com/tWbznVDrIk
— ICC (@ICC) June 24, 2024
South Africa are through to the semi-finals following an edge-of-your-seat thriller 😲#T20WorldCup | #WIvSA pic.twitter.com/v8gkZXYKeq
— ICC (@ICC) June 24, 2024
Rain halts play, South Africa bring drama
Meanwhile, there’s surely something up with South Africa and their knockout games as each of such a match has gone down to the wire with them managing a narrow win at the end, being never short of drama and action. Being on a below-par run-chase of 136, the openers (Reeza Hendrick and Quinton de Kock) departed in the second over as the rain arrived at the venue and halted the proceedings for more than an hour that reduced the game to 17 overs and a new target of 123.
The conditions were changed drastically South Africa looked to be struggling for what could have been a cakewalk. Tristan Stubbs top-scored with 29 runs inclusive of four fours followed by Henrich Klaasen’s quick but short 22. Aiden Markram contributed with 18 runs and it was Marco Jansen at the end with his 21-run knock, hitting the winning runs in the form of a six when five were needed off the last over. The South African scoreboard stood at 124/7 in 16.1 overs.
Meanwhile, the West Indies bowlers picked wickets at regular intervals as Russell started the tally with early strikes of the openers. He became the no.1 T20 World Cup wicket-taker for West Indies with these two wickets, ending his campaign with 11 wickets while Alzarri Joseph bagged two as well and surpassed Samuel Badree for most wickets for the Windies in a T20 World Cup edition. Joseph ended his campaign with 13 wickets.
Roston Chase chipped in with three wickets as well, as they made the Proteas batters’ life difficult but ultimately went down against Aiden Markram and co.
West Indies innings
The co-hosts were invited to bat first by South Africa and other than Shai Hope and Nicholas Pooran from the top order, new add-up Kyle Mayers (35) shined with Chase (52) as they stitched an 81-run stand for the third wicket and revived their innings. The middle order didn’t capitalise as they were limited to 135/8 in 20 overs – courtesy of Tabraiz Shamsi (POTM) who weaved webs and entrapped three batters with the likes of Markram, Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, and Kagiso Rabada picking a wicket each.
Spinning South Africa to the semis 👏
Tabraiz Shamsi takes home the @aramco POTM for his game-changing spell of 3/27 🏅 #T20WorldCup #WIvSA pic.twitter.com/u6Efd0o7D3
— ICC (@ICC) June 24, 2024
In what turned out to be another nail-biter, South Africa beat West Indies by three wickets (DLS method) to cruise to the T20 World Cup 2024 semifinals with a seven-match winning streak in Antigua on Sunday. Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
