In a pivotal Super Eight clash at the ICC T20 World Cup, South Africa delivered a stunning blow to the West Indies, handing the co-hosts their first tournament defeat by a convincing nine-wicket margin. The encounter, held at Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium on February 26th, featured the tournament’s last two undefeated sides in a high-stakes battle for semifinal positioning.
Electing to field first after winning the toss, South Africa’s bowling attack immediately exploited the West Indies’ batting vulnerabilities. The Caribbean side’s powerplay yielded a respectable 52 runs but at the devastating cost of four crucial wickets—Brandon King, Shai Hope, Shimron Hetmyer, and Roston Chase all fell to aggressive yet ill-advised shot selection against the Proteas’ disciplined attack.
The collapse intensified as the innings progressed, with the West Indies crumbling to 83/7 by the 11th over, facing the prospect of a subpar total. From this precipice of disaster emerged an extraordinary rescue mission from all-rounders Jason Holder and Romario Shepherd. The duo orchestrated a record-shattering eighth-wicket partnership of 89 runs—the highest ever recorded for that wicket in T20 International history. Holder’s powerful 49 runs from 28 deliveries was complemented by Shepherd’s maiden T20I half-century, his 52 coming from just 33 balls, miraculously elevating the final total to 176/8.
South Africa’s response was nothing short of dominant. Openers Quinton de Kock and captain Aiden Markram launched an explosive assault on the West Indian bowling, accumulating 69 runs without loss during the powerplay. De Kock eventually departed for a blistering 47 off 24 balls at 95/1, but Markram continued his masterclass uninterrupted. The skipper remained unbeaten on 82 from just 46 deliveries, featuring six fours and four maximums, as South Africa chased down the target with 19 balls to spare. This comprehensive victory virtually assures the Proteas a place in the tournament’s semifinal stage.
The defeat leaves the West Indies in a precarious position, facing a must-win encounter against tournament favorites India on Sunday at 9:30 PM local time to keep their semifinal hopes alive.