South Africa beat West Indies by nine wickets to take a giant step towards securing a place in the T20 World Cup semi-finals today.
Aiden Markram played a captain’s knock to lead his team to victory, hitting an unbeaten 82 off 46 with four sixes and seven boundaries.
South Africa have climbed to the top of Group 1 with four points.
West Indies posted 176 runs after being put in to bat at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
The Proteas came out firing on all cylinders, with Kagiso Rabada removing Shai Hope and Shimron Hetmyer in just four balls.
Lungi Ngidi was just as destructive with the ball, producing two brilliant deliveries to send Brandon King and Roston Chase back to the pavilion.
Wickets kept tumbling for the Windies, but they didn’t change their aggressive approach, causing more damage.
Sherfane Rutherford fell prey to Corbin Bosch after scoring 12, and then Rovman Powell lost his wicket to Ngidi.
Jason Holder and Romario Shepherd built a solid partnership after Matthew Forde’s dismissal to bring them back in the game.
Shepherd hit a blistering half-century, and Holder scored 49, helping West Indies reach 176.
Markram and Quinton de Kock got South Africa off to an excellent start, hitting boundaries and sixes all over the ground with ease.
The duo’s 95-run opening stand was finally broken by Roston Chase in the eighth over, with De Kock just missing out on his half-century.
The breakthrough failed to bring pressure on the opposition. Markram stood firm at the crease, reaching his fifty off just 27 balls.
He was supported well at the other end by Ryan Rickelton, who scored a quickfire 45.
Markram struck the final boundary of the innings, as South Africa secured a comprehensive victory against the Windies.
