WI vs SA T20 WC Highlights: South Africa Triumphs Over West Indies by Three Wickets (DLS) in Rain-Shortened T20 World Cup 2024 Super 8 Match.
Now, they’ve (almost) done it all. After an undefeated streak of six matches, five of them nail-biters, South Africa has navigated a rain-reduced match and successfully chased a tricky target to secure a spot in the semi-final of the men’s T20 World Cup 2024. In the process, they knocked out co-hosts West Indies and topped their Super Eight group, likely avoiding India in the final four. Could this finally be their time?
All signs point to a change of fortune for a team that has long coveted an ICC trophy but has been repeatedly denied. South Africa is now winning games they might have lost in the past, scrapping like their rugby counterparts, the Springboks, who won the quarterfinals, semifinals, and final each by one point last year. This newfound tenacity has seen them reach a T20 World Cup knockout for the first time in a decade.
Back in 2014, when South Africa reached the final four, Aiden Markram had just led the Under-19 team to the World Cup. Now, he is captaining the senior side with great success. Markram took the new ball in this match, bowling himself for a full quota of four overs, relying on spin—a non-traditional strength for South Africa. They bowled more overs of spin than ever before in a T20 World Cup match, taking 5 for 79 in 12 overs. The spinners kept West Indies quiet, delivering 57 dot balls—the equivalent of 9.3 overs—the most at this T20 World Cup. Only an 81-run stand between Kyle Mayers and Roston Chase kept West Indies in the game, with no other batter scoring more than 15 runs.
West Indies will look back at their batting as the main reason for their failure to advance. Their bowlers did well, reducing South Africa to 15 for 2 in two overs before rain interrupted. Despite their efforts, including Chase’s 3 for 12 and Joseph’s 2 for 25, South Africa, at seven down, managed to cross the finish line thanks to Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen.
Markram’s innovative strategies and messy fielding
The first 10 overs were eventful, with South Africa dropping four catches. Markram, the second South African spinner to bowl four successive overs after opening the bowling in a men’s T20I, shared the new ball with Jansen and took a wicket with his first ball, putting West Indies at 5 for 2 early on.
They should have had a third wicket when Chase, on 12, hit straight up, but Anrich Nortje dropped it. Chase added eight more runs before slog sweeping Keshav Maharaj to deep midwicket, where David Miller dropped a difficult chance. Mayers, on 13, swept to Maharaj at square leg, who also dropped it. The worst drop visually was when Mayers hit Markram down the ground and Rabada and Jansen collided, causing Jansen to leave the field temporarily. Markram finished with 1 for 28 from his four overs.
Rabada’s late introduction
The success of South Africa’s spinners meant Rabada was only used in the 18th over, the latest he has ever bowled in this format. Typically introduced within the first four overs, Rabada adapted quickly, using pace off the ball. His first delivery led to a run-out, and his over only cost one run, stalling West Indies’ late surge and holding them to 135.
South Africa in a virtual World Cup knockout—did you expect less drama?
The drama continued. Quinton de Kock started the chase well, but Russell dismissed Hendricks and de Kock, with the latter’s wicket confirmed after review. Then rain halted play for 75 minutes, reducing the target to 123.
Klaasen’s decisive over
Heinrich Klaasen turned the tide by attacking Gudakesh Motie, hitting his first ball for six and finishing the over with three successive fours. Despite some risky shots, Klaasen’s aggression left South Africa needing 53 runs off 10 overs, clearing the path to the semi-finals.
