Imperious South Africa stay perfect at T20 World Cup with big West Indies win

Ahmedabad—South Africa’s serene march through the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup gathered irresistible momentum on Thursday night as Aiden Markram’s career-best 82 not out piloted the Proteas to a nine-wicket demolition of co-hosts West Indies and, hours later, India’s victory over Zimbabwe rubber-stamped their place in the semi-finals.

Set 177 on a surface that quickened under lights, South Africa’s reply was a study in controlled violence. Markram and Quinton de Kock flayed 95 inside eight overs, the captain finishing with seven fours and four sixes from 46 balls. De Kock’s 24-ball 47 featured four maximums of his own, and when the opener holed out the contest was already academic. Ryan Rickelton kept his foot flat, crunching an unbeaten 45 off 28 as the pair added 80 in 50 balls to seal victory at 177-1 with 23 deliveries unused—South Africa’s fourth win in Ahmedabad and their sixth from six starts in the tournament.

The margin only told half the story. West Indies had earlier been rescued from humiliation by Romario Shepherd’s maiden T20 fifty and a counter-punching 49 from Jason Holder, the duo’s 89-run stand lifting the home side from 83-7 to a seemingly competitive 176-8. Shepherd’s 52 not out came off 28 balls and included four sixes; Holder plundered 23 from Marco Jansen’s 18th over before a final-over run-out.

Yet the early damage inflicted by South Africa’s new-ball pair proved decisive. Kagiso Rabada removed captain Shai Hope and Shimron Hetmyer in the third over, while Lungi Ngidi’s double-wicket fourth over—Brandon King and Roston Chase both departed—left the Caribbean side reeling at 52-4. Even three spilled chances in the powerplay could not derail the Proteas; West Indies never regained initiative.

Roston Chase, introduced in place of Akeal Hosein, provided the lone breakthrough when he had De Kock caught, but Shepherd and Holder had no such joy with the ball as South Africa cantered home.

Player-of-the-match Markram credited a collective effort. “We bowled well and the powerplay was a big thing for us to get out of nicely,” he said. “In the second innings the wicket got good again—it was tacky earlier on, so we got lucky with the toss. Our bowlers left us with less work to do.”

With the group now crystallised, South Africa conclude their Super 8s against already-eliminated Zimbabwe on Sunday, while West Indies must beat India that same day to secure the second semi-final berth from Group 1.