South Africa Reaches Semi-Finals by Eliminating West Indies in a Thrilling Match

South Africa secured their spot in the semi-finals by eliminating the host team, West Indies, in a nail-biting match. In an unofficial quarter-final of the T20 World Cup Super Eight, South Africa defeated West Indies by 3 wickets, earning their semi-final ticket with seven consecutive victories.

On Monday morning at North Sound, Antigua, West Indies won the toss and opted to bat first, setting a modest target of 136 runs for the Proteas. In response, South Africa clinched a 3-wicket victory, sending West Indies out of the tournament and advancing to the semi-finals.

Batting first, West Indies faced early trouble as they lost wickets quickly. Shai Hope and Nicholas Pooran were dismissed with just 5 runs on the board. Kyle Mayers and Roston Chase then attempted to stabilize the innings, with Mayers scoring 35 runs off 34 balls and Chase contributing 52 runs off 42 balls.

However, the Proteas spinners soon took control. After breaking the Mayers-Chase partnership, the West Indies middle order collapsed like a house of cards. Powell, Rutherford, Russell, and Akeal all fell in quick succession, and the West Indies innings concluded at 135 runs for 8 wickets.

For South Africa, Tabraiz Shamsi took 3 wickets, while Markram, Maharaj, Rabada, and Jansen each claimed one wicket.

Chasing the target of 136 runs, South Africa also lost early wickets. Reeza Hendricks was out for a duck, and Quinton de Kock followed with just 12 runs. The game was then interrupted by rain, casting uncertainty over South Africa's semi-final hopes.

After the rain, South Africa's revised target was 123 runs in 17 overs. Markram scored 18 runs, and Heinrich Klaasen contributed 22 before getting out. Tristan Stubbs remained at the crease and scored 29 runs before being dismissed, putting South Africa under pressure. Roston Chase's excellent bowling turned the match in favor of the West Indies. However, Marco Jansen's late heroics, including a match-winning six, secured the victory for South Africa.

For West Indies, Roston Chase took 3 wickets, while Russell and Alzarri Joseph each picked up 2 wickets.