By Shivani P Menon
South Africa marched into the T20 World Cup semi-finals in emphatic fashion on Thursday, dismantling West Indies by nine wickets at Ahmedabad to extend their perfect tournament record to six wins from six matches.
A blistering knock from captain Aiden Markram and a rapid opening stand effectively put the match to bed inside the first eight overs, as the Proteas chased down 177 with a remarkable 23 balls to spare.
West Indies had shown considerable fight in the first innings. From a precarious 83 for seven, Romario Shepherd and Jason Holder launched a stunning counter-attack, stitching together an 89-run partnership that lifted their side to a competitive 176 for 8.
Shepherd remained unbeaten on 52 — his maiden T20 international half-century — while Holder fell for a swashbuckling 49, run out in the final over after smashing 23 runs off a single Marco Jansen over. It was a recovery that gave the innings respectability, though it ultimately proved insufficient against a South African batting lineup in blistering form.
The Proteas’ chase was little short of extraordinary. Markram and Quinton de Kock put on 95 runs in just eight overs, setting a tone that the West Indies bowlers could never disrupt.
Markram was the standout, stroking 82 not out off 46 balls — laced with seven fours and four sixes — earning him the Player of the Match award. De Kock chipped in with a punchy 47 off 24 deliveries before Ryan Rickelton sealed the win with an unbeaten 45 off 28 balls, sharing an 80-run stand with his captain.
South Africa’s bowlers had set the platform earlier, with Lungi Ngidi picking up three wickets and Kagiso Rabada taking two as West Indies stumbled to 52 for four inside the powerplay, losing four wickets in just 10 balls.
Speaking after the win, Markram credited the team’s collective discipline. “We bowled well, and the powerplay was a big thing for us,” he said. “In the second innings, the wicket got good again. Our bowlers left us with less work to do.”
Later in the evening, India’s victory over Zimbabwe officially confirmed South Africa’s place in the last four. The semi-final spot from Group 1 remains contested between India and the West Indies, who face off on Sunday in what promises to be a high-stakes decider.