- South Africa beats West Indies to secure historic 7th consecutive win.
- The Proteas advanced to semifinals for the first time since 2014.
- Tabraiz Shamsi was named Player of the Match for his 3-wicket haul.
With seven consecutive wins in this tournament, South Africa has advanced to the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup for the first time since 2014.
This streak of seven victories is unprecedented at any single T20 World Cup event.
Record for most wins at a men’s T20 World Cup
7 – South Africa in 20246 - Sri Lanka in 2009
6 - Australia in 2010
6 - Australia in 2021
In a nail-biting match at Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, North Sound, Antigua, South Africa triumphed over the West Indies by three wickets, following the DLS method.
South Africa secured their semi-final berth as the second team from Group 2 of the Super 8, following England.
The Proteas successfully chased down a rain-adjusted target of 123 runs in 17 overs, finishing at 16.1 overs with seven wickets down.
Marco Jansen’s pivotal unbeaten 21 runs off 14 balls, including a six at the start of the last over, were instrumental in South Africa’s win.
Significant innings by Tristan Stubbs (29 off 27) and Heinrich Klaasen (22 off 10) also contributed to the victory.
Despite a promising start at 77-3, South Africa faced a challenge as the West Indies made a comeback with quick wickets. Nonetheless, the late wickets were insufficient to keep the hosts in contention.
Roston Chase delivered an impressive performance for the West Indies, taking 3-12 in four overs.
Initially, the West Indies set a score of 135-8 in 20 overs, but South Africa, having chosen to bowl first, saw the target reduced to 123 in 17 overs due to rain, with their score at 15-2 in two overs.
South African spinners Aiden Markram, Tabraiz Shamsi, and Keshav Maharaj effectively contained the West Indies’ batsmen, conceding just 79 runs in 12 overs and taking five wickets between them, with Shamsi leading with 3-27 in four overs.
Shamsi, after being named Player of the Match, expressed, “I am sweating, and I was not even out there. Quite nervy out there but that has been the theme this World Cup. We have been finding ways to win and tonight was another one of those.”
He continued, “The people out there, our supporters, would probably like bigger wins. But things like this, it keeps us in check. We have been able to overcome such [pressure] moments and that keeps us in good stead.”
Chase, despite being dropped on 11 and 14, managed to be the top scorer for the West Indies with 52 runs in 42 balls.
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