In a fine show of nerves and calm, Marco Jansen and Kagiso Rabada defied heroic spells by Roston Chase and Alzarri Joseph to extend their unbeaten run in the ongoing ICC T20 World Cup to seven matches and reaching the semifinals with a three-wicket win over West Indies at Antigua on Monday.
With this victory, South Africa has ended their Super Eights campaign undefeated, with three wins in three matches. England is the other team to move to the semifinals, with two wins and a loss in three matches. West Indies, the hosts of the competition, have been knocked out, with just a win and two losses to their name in the Super Eights.
In the run-chase of 136 runs, South Africa started with a bang as Quinton de Kock hammered spinner Akael Hossein for three fours in the first over, with some fine lofted hits and pulls.
However in the next over, Proteas was pushed on the backfoot as all-rounder Andre Russell got Reeza Hendricks caught by Nicholas Pooran for a golden duck to start off the over while the over concluded with De Kock being caught by Sherfane Rutherford for 12 in seven balls. SA was 15/2 in two overs. The rain interrupted action at this point.
After the game was resumed, South Africa’s fresh target was 123 runs in 17 overs, which meant they still needed 108 runs in 15 overs.
Tristan Stubbs and skipper Aiden Markram resumed the proceedings, with both batters striking some clean boundaries. At the end of the powerplay in five overs, SA was at 41/2, with Markram (18*) and Stubbs (11*) unbeaten.
Markram’s horror T20 WC with the bat continued as pacer Alzarri Joseph got him caught by Kyle Mayers at mid-off for 18 in 15 balls, with two fours. SA was 42/3 in 5.2 overs.
SA reached their 50-run mark in six overs.
Klaasen and Stubbs changed the complexion of the game, with the former taking on West Indies’ key spinner Gudakesh Motie and hitting him for three fours and a six.
Joseph ended this threatening stand between Klaasen and Stubbs, with Pooran taking a fine catch to remove Klaasen for 22 in 10 balls, with three fours and a six. SA was 77/4 in eight overs.
Stubbs and Miller carried the chase forward, however, the run flow slowed down. The pressure ultimately got the best of South Africa, as David Miler was cleaned up for four runs by Roston Chase. SA was 94/5 in 12 overs, needing 29 runs to win in five overs.
SA reached the 100-run mark in 13 overs, needing 23 more runs in four overs.
Stubbs’s resilient knock of 29 runs in 27 balls was ended by Chase, who was having a wonderful outing. Mayers took the catch to reduce SA to 100/6 in 13.1 overs.
Windies bowlers bowled really well, taking the match down the wire with 13 runs needed in 12 balls. Chase got his third wicket, removing Keshav Maharaj for two runs in six balls, with Alzarri taking a catch near long-off. SA was 110/7 in 15.2 overs.
In the final over, SA needed five runs, thanks to a four by Kagiso Rabada to end the 16th over.
Proteas completed the run-chase successfully, with Jansen smashing the match-winning six on the first ball of the final over by Obed McCoy. SA ended at 124/7, with Jansen (21*) and Rabada (5*) unbeaten.
Chase (3/12) was the top bowler for West Indies, with Russell and Joseph also taking two wickets.
Earlier, South Africa left-arm seamer Tabraiz Shamsi’s magnificent bowling performance of 3/27 restricted West Indies to 135/8 in 20 overs at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium on Monday.
Proteas skipper Aiden Markram won the toss and opted to bowl first in an all-important Super 8 clash. The winner of this game will qualify for the semifinals of the ongoing marquee event.
Batters Kyle Mayers and Shai Hope came out in the middle to open the innings for the hosts.
The Caribbeans didn’t get the start they wanted as the side lost their first wicket on the third ball of the match as left-arm seamer Marco Jansen dismissed Hope after scoring just one run.
The next batter to come out in the middle was the left-hand batter Nicholas Pooran but he was sent back by Markram on the first ball of the second over.
Following Pooran’s dismissal, right-hand batter Roston Chase came out in the middle to bat along with Mayers.
After the end of the powerplay (6 overs), West Indies were 47/2 with Chase (21) and Mayers (19) unbeaten on the crease.
The Rovman Powell-led side brought up their team’s fifty in 6.2 overs.
Both batters completed their 50-run partnership in the eighth over as Chase took a single on the bowling of the South African captain.
After the completion of 10 overs, the Caribbeans were 69/2 with Chase (33) and Mayers (29) unbeaten on the crease.
West Indies lost their third wicket, which was of Mayers, who scored 35 runs in 34 balls with three fours and two sixes in the 12th over when the team score was 86 and the fourth wicket (Rovman Powell) in the 13th over when the team score was 89.
Chase completed his half-century in 39 balls in the 14th over with the help of three fours and two sixes, as he took a single on the bowling Shamsi. In the same over the West Indies side lost their fifth wicket as Rutherford was sent back
Andre Russell came out to bat in the middle after the fall of the team’s first five wickets inside 100 runs.
After the end of 15 overs, West Indies were 97/5 with Chase (52) and Russell (1) unbeaten on the crease.
Chase was sent back to the dressing room in the 16th over on the bowling of Shamsi. He went back after playing a brilliant innings of 52 runs in 42 balls which was laced with three boundaries and two maximums in the innings.
After Chase’s wicket, Akeal Hosein came out to bat in the middle. On the last ball of the over Hossein slammed a boundary which brought up the the side 100.
In the 18th over, right-arm seamer Kagiso Rabada came to bowl his first over of the match. This over witnessed two wickets, one was through a runout of Russell (15 runs off 9 balls, 2 sixes) and the other one was of Hossein who was dismissed after scoring just six runs.
West Indies finished their innings at 135/8 in 20 overs.
The pick of the bowlers for the Aiden Markram-led side was Shamsi, who snapped three wickets in his spell of four overs where he conceded 27 runs.
One wicket each was bagged by Marco Jansen, Markram, Keshav Maharaj, and Rabada in their respective spells.
Brief Score: West Indies: 135/8 in 20 overs (Roston Chase 52, Kyle Mayers 35, Tabraiz Shamsi 3/27) vs South Africa.