South Africa captain Aiden Markram led from the front with an unbeaten 82 as his side moved to the brink of a T20 World Cup semi-final berth with a crushing nine-wicket victory over the West Indies in Ahmedabad on Thursday.
After the West Indies fought back from 83-7 to post 176-8, Markram and Quinton de Kock put on 95 for the first wicket to set the platform for a dominant win. The Proteas raced to their target with 23 balls to spare, reaching 177-1. Ryan Rickleton was unbeaten on 45.
Markram reached fifty off 27 balls and hit four sixes and seven fours in a commanding display. De Kock scored 47 off 24 balls with four sixes, while Rickleton struck two sixes in his 28-ball knock.
“The wicket got really good again for batting, it was slightly tacky earlier when we bowled,” said Markram. “Steep bounce came from the tackiness. Fortunately we ended up on the right side of the toss. The guys bowled really well up front to take wickets.”
South Africa remain the only unbeaten side in the tournament, having also defeated pre-tournament favourites India by 76 runs in the Super Eights.
An India win against Zimbabwe in Chennai later on Thursday will guarantee South Africa’s progress to the last four. It will also make India’s clash against the West Indies in Kolkata on Sunday a winner-takes-all decider for the final semi-final berth.
The West Indies needed a record eighth-wicket partnership from Romario Shepherd and Jason Holder to set a competitive target after an early collapse. The pair came together at 83-7 and put on 89, the highest eighth-wicket stand in T20 international history.
Shepherd finished unbeaten on 52 off 37 balls with four sixes. Holder was run out off the penultimate ball of the innings for 49 off 31 balls with three sixes.
“Very important to get a big score, and losing so many wickets in the powerplay cost us,” said West Indies captain Shai Hope. “We were 40-50 runs short. Must commend the guys in the bottom half for giving us a chance.”
Both teams came into the match with five consecutive wins in the tournament.
Markram had no hesitation in opting to bowl after winning the toss. The West Indies took 17 runs off the first over from left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj, but Kagiso Rabada’s introduction halted their charge when Hope (16) edged his second ball to wicketkeeper De Kock.
Shimron Hetmyer was dropped at mid-on by Corbin Bosch off the next delivery but lasted only two more balls before he miscued to midwicket where Maharaj took the catch.
Lungi Ngidi struck twice in his first over when Brandon King (21) edged to De Kock and two balls later Roston Chase chopped on. From 29-0 after two overs, the West Indies had slumped to 43-4 after four.
Ngidi finished with 3-30 from his four overs, Rabada 2-2 and Bosch 2-31.
The Proteas face Zimbabwe on Sunday 1 March.
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