AHMEDABAD: Aiden Markram led from the front with a captain’s knock as South Africa thrashed West Indies by nine wickets to move closer to a semi-final berth in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Super Eights on Thursday.
South Africa made lightwork of a stiff 177 target, chasing in 16.1 overs with ease, losing only one wicket in the process.
After the first innings, the momentum was on West Indies side, who remarkably recovered from a precarious position.
However, Quinton de Kock and Aiden Markram came out all guns blazing, racing to 69 at the end of the powerplay.
The duo made West Indies bowling attack clueless with their aggressive stroke play, particularly Markram who remained the core aggressor.
West Indies finally got a breakthrough in the form of De Kock, who made 47 from 24 balls with the aid of four sixes and four boundaries.
At this point, South Africa were well ahead in the game, with 95 for 1 in 8 overs.
Despite the wicket, Markram continued on, stitching an 82-run partnership with Ryan Rickelton.
The pair made the chase look easy and reached the target on the first ball of the 16th over.
Markram’s unbeaten 82 off 46 was laced with four sixes and seven boundaries. Rickelton also supported him well, managing 45 off 28, including two sixes and four boundaries.
For West Indies, there was nothing much in the bowling chart, except a solitary wicket for Roston Chase.
Earlier, A record eighth-wicket partnership by Romario Shepherd and Jason Holder enabled the West Indies to overcome an early collapse and post 176-8 against South Africa.
The pair came together with their team in deep trouble at 83-7 and put on 89, the highest eighth-wicket stand in the history of T20 internationals.
Shepherd was unbeaten on 52 off 37 balls with four sixes. Holder was run out off the penultimate ball of the innings for 49 off 31 balls with three maximums.
Both teams came into the match with a perfect five wins in the T20 World Cup so far.
South Africa have played four of their five matches in Ahmedabad and captain Aiden Markram had no hesitation in opting to bowl when he won the toss.
The West Indies took 17 off the first over, bowled by left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj.
Kagiso Rabada’s introduction halted their charge as captain Shai Hope (16) edged his second ball to keeper Quinton de Kock.
Shimron Hetmyer was dropped at mid-on by Corbin Bosch off the next delivery, but lasted only two more when he miscued to midwicket, where Maharaj snapped up the catch.
Lungi Ngidi got in the act in his first over when Brandon King, on 21, edged to De Kock, and two balls later, Roston Chase chopped on.
From 29-0 after two overs, the West Indies slumped to 43-4 after four.
Ngidi took 3-30 from his four overs, Rabada 2-2, and Bosch 2-31.
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