South Africa captain Aiden Markram led from the front with an unbeaten 82 as South Africa all but secured a T20 World Cup semi-final berth with a brutal nine-wicket thrashing of the West Indies in Ahmedabad on Thursday.
After the West Indies fought back from deep trouble at 83-7 to post 176-8, Markram and Quinton de Kock put on 95 for the first wicket to set the platform for a thumping victory.
South Africa raced to their target with 23 balls to spare, scoring 177-1. Ryan Rickleton was not out on 45 at the end.
“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 are the only unbeaten side, having also dismantled the pre-tournament favourites India by 76 runs in the Super Eights.
An India win against Zimbabwe in Chennai later 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.
Markram reached fifty off 27 balls and hit four sixes and seven fours.
De Kock scored 47 off 24 balls, with four sixes and Rickleton hit two sixes in his 28-ball knock in an utterly dominant display of batsmanship.
Record stand
The West Indies earlier needed a record eighth-wicket partnership by Romario Shepherd and Jason Holder to set a target of 177 after an early collapse.
The pair came together with their team in deep trouble at 83-7 and put on 89, the highest eighth-wicket stand in the history of T20 internationals.
Shepherd was 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 maximums.
“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 a perfect five wins in the T20 World Cup so far.
South Africa have played four of their five matches in Ahmedabad and captain Aiden Markram had no hesitation in opting to bowl when he won the toss.
The West Indies took 17 off the first over, bowled by left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj.
Kagiso Rabada’s introduction halted their charge as Hope (16) edged his second ball to keeper Quinton de Kock.
Shimron Hetmyer was dropped at mid-on by Corbin Bosch off the next delivery, but lasted only two more when he miscued to midwicket where Maharaj snapped up the catch.
Lungi Ngidi got in the act in his first over when Brandon King on 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 took 3-30 from his four overs, Rabada 2-2 and Bosch 2-31.
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