T20 WC: South Africa Defy Roston Chase’s Heroics, Move To Semis With Three-Wicket Win Over West Indies

In a fine show of nerves and calm, Marco Jansen and Kagiso Rabada defied heroic spells by Roston Chase and Alzarri Joseph to extend their unbeaten run in the ongoing ICC T20 World Cup to seven matches, reaching the semifinals with a three-wicket win over West Indies at Antigua on Monday

This victory concluded South Africa’s Super Eights campaign undefeated, with three wins from three matches. England also progressed to the semifinals, finishing with two wins and one loss. The West Indies, hosts of the competition, were eliminated with one win and two losses.

Chasing a target of 136 runs, South Africa started aggressively, with Quinton de Kock hitting spinner Akeal Hosein for three boundaries in the first over. However, the Proteas were soon in trouble. In the next over, all-rounder Andre Russell dismissed Reeza Hendricks for a golden duck and later caught De Kock off Sherfane Rutherford’s bowling, leaving South Africa at 15/2 in two overs. At this point, rain interrupted play.

Upon resumption, South Africa’s revised target was 123 runs in 17 overs, meaning they needed 108 runs from 15 overs.

Tristan Stubbs and captain Aiden Markram resumed the chase, both striking clean boundaries. By the end of the powerplay in five overs, South Africa was 41/2, with Markram (18*) and Stubbs (11*) at the crease.

Markram’s poor T20 World Cup form continued as Alzarri Joseph dismissed him for 18 off 15 balls, leaving South Africa at 42/3 in 5.2 overs.

South Africa reached the 50-run mark in six overs. Klaasen and Stubbs then altered the game’s dynamics, with Klaasen attacking key spinner Gudakesh Motie, hitting him for three fours and a six.

Joseph broke the threatening partnership between Klaasen and Stubbs, with Nicholas Pooran taking a fine catch to dismiss Klaasen for 22 off 10 balls, making the score 77/4 in eight overs.

Stubbs and Miller carried the chase forward, but the run rate slowed. Under pressure, David Miller was bowled for four by Roston Chase, leaving South Africa at 94/5 in 12 overs, needing 29 runs from five overs.

South Africa reached the 100-run mark in 13 overs, needing 23 more runs from four overs. Stubbs’s resilient knock of 29 off 27 balls ended when Chase had him caught by Mayers, reducing South Africa to 100/6 in 13.1 overs.

The West Indies bowlers performed admirably, pushing the match to the final over with South Africa needing 13 runs from 12 balls. Chase claimed his third wicket, removing Keshav Maharaj for two runs, caught by Alzarri near long-off, leaving South Africa at 110/7 in 15.2 overs.

In the final over, South Africa needed five runs. Kagiso Rabada hit a boundary to end the 16th over, setting up a tense finish. The Proteas successfully completed the chase with Jansen hitting a match-winning six off the first ball of the final over by Obed McCoy. South Africa finished at 124/7, with Jansen (21*) and Rabada (5*) unbeaten.

Chase (3/12) was the standout bowler for the West Indies, with Russell and Joseph taking two wickets each.

Earlier, South African left-arm seamer Tabraiz Shamsi’s magnificent bowling performance of 3/27 restricted the West Indies to 135/8 in 20 overs at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium.

Proteas skipper Aiden Markram won the toss and opted to bowl in this crucial Super 8 clash, with the winner advancing to the semifinals. Kyle Mayers and Shai Hope opened the innings for the hosts, but the West Indies got off to a shaky start, losing Hope for one on the third ball of the match, bowled by Marco Jansen.

Nicholas Pooran, the next batter, was dismissed for a golden duck by Markram in the second over. Roston Chase then joined Mayers, and they began to stabilize the innings.

By the end of the powerplay (6 overs), the West Indies were 47/2, with Chase (21) and Mayers (19) at the crease. The team reached their fifty in 6.2 overs. Chase and Mayers formed a solid partnership, bringing up their 50-run stand in the eighth over.

After 10 overs, the West Indies were 69/2, with Chase (33) and Mayers (29) still unbeaten. The team lost their third wicket in the 12th over when Mayers was dismissed for 35 runs off 34 balls. The fourth wicket fell in the 13th over, with Rovman Powell departing with the team score at 89.

Chase completed his half-century in 39 balls in the 14th over but soon lost his partner, Rutherford. Andre Russell came in next, but the West Indies struggled to maintain momentum.

Chase was dismissed for 52 in the 16th over by Shamsi, ending a brilliant innings. Akeal Hosein joined Russell and hit a boundary to bring up the team’s 100 runs. In the 18th over, Kagiso Rabada dismissed Russell (15 off 9 balls) via a runout and then took Hosein’s wicket, who scored six runs.

The West Indies finished their innings at 135/8 in 20 overs. Shamsi was the pick of the bowlers for South Africa, taking three wickets for 27 runs in his four overs. One wicket each was taken by Marco Jansen, Markram, Keshav Maharaj, and Rabada.

Brief Score: West Indies: 135/8 in 20 overs (Roston Chase 52, Kyle Mayers 35, Tabraiz Shamsi 3/27) vs South Africa: 124/7 in 16.1 overs (Tristan Stubbs 29, Marco Jansen 21*, Kagiso Rabada 5*).