In a do-or-die match in the Super 8 phase of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, South Africa sent co-hosts the West Indies packing with a 3-wicket win at the North Sound facility in Antigua.
After winning the toss and restricting the West Indians to a barely respectable 135/8 thanks to their spinners, South Africa chased the total down with three wickets and five balls to spare, booking a semifinal spot. An hour-long rain interruption could not deny the South Africans a spot in the semi-finals.
After being sent in to bat, the West Indies found themselves in deep trouble at 5/2 at the beginning of the second over, with two of their best batsmen in the form of Shai Hope (0) and Nicholas Pooran (1) back in the dugout.
However, Kyle Mayers, freshly drafted in from the Reserves for the injured Brandon King, teamed up with Roston Chase as the duo worked themselves into a repair partnership of 81 runs to put the West Indies on course for a respectable total.
Mayers went at just a little over a run a ball during his 35 from 34 balls, while Roston Chase really pushed the West Indies to a total they could bowl at with 52 from 42 balls. Chase managed to strike three fours and two sixes during his ‘rescue’ innings.
However, after Chases and Mayers departed, only Andre Russell (15) and Alzarri Joseph (11 not out) managed to reach double figures as South African spinners Tabraiz Shamsi and Keshav Maharaj stifled their opposition while chipping away with wickets.
Earlier, South Africa’s captain Aiden Markram (1/28, 4 overs) had done a good job of keeping the West Indies top order quiet, but Shamsi (3/27) managed to put on the finishing touches with three wickets while Maharaj was economical with 1/24 from his four overs.
In search of 136 to win, the South Africans suffered an early casualty, with Andre Russell getting Reeza Hendricks caught behind for a first-ball duck, leaving South Africa 12/1 at the start of the second over.
Quinton de Kock followed soon after, with Russell striking again.
Despite the two early losses and a rain interruption, which saw the South African target revised to 123 required from 17 overs, Markram played a cameo 15-ball 18 to swing momentum back to the South Africans, while Henrich Klaasen plundered 22 from 10 to put South Africa in further ascension.
However, Alzarri Joseph accounted for both and swung the game back in the West Indies favour with South Africa at 77/4. With the experienced David Miller and Tristan Stubbs at the crease, South Africa still had the advantage, but then Roston Chase came to the rescue, taking the wickets of Miller and Stubbs in successive overs to leave the South Africans in disarray at 100/6.
After Russell and Joseph ended their spells with tight overs, Chase bowled the penultimate over and immediately struck again, with Maharaj holing out.
With Marco Jansen and Kagiso Rabada at the crease, South Africa still had a sniff at victory, and when Rabada thumped Chase through covers, he left Obed McCoy to defend five from the last over.
However, it was not to be a dream end for the West Indians as Marco Jansen smashed a full delivery first ball of the over for six to send his teammates into jubilant celebrations.
South Africa, having won all three of their Super 8 games, has topped the group and will advance along with England to join India in the semifinals.
The next two matches today, India versus Australia and Bangladesh versus Afghanistan, will determine the fourth semifinalist, with both Australia and Afghanistan on two points each after two games. Australia will have to win and hope that Bangladesh beat Afghanistan to qualify, while a loss for the Aussies and a win for the Afghans will see the latter advancing instead.
