South Africa beat the rain and a spirited West Indies bowling effort to eliminate co-hosts in tense run chase
South Africa have survived a tense, rain-affected run chase to book their spot in semi-finals as Marco Jansen’s final-over six eliminated co-hosts West Indies in a T20 World Cup thriller in Antigua.
The tall fast bowler overcame a heavy collision with teammate Kagiso Rabada while fielding to become a hero with the bat, his unbeaten 21 from 14 balls getting the Proteas over the line by three wickets with five balls to spare.
For almost an hour as heavy rain fell in the middle of the match at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in North Sound, both teams were in an anxious limbo.
West Indies had made 8-135 after being sent in and South Africa was 2-12 after two overs when a squall of heavy rain and wind passed across the ground. When the players returned, three overs had been lost and South Africa was chasing a revised target of 123 from 17 overs.
The Proteas seemed to be coasting towards victory at 3-77 in the eighth over before the West Indies produced an extraordinary performance to force the match into the final six balls.
Earlier, Jansen had been injured in a collision with Rabada while attempting a catch on the boundary. By a quirk of fate, it was those two players who found themselves at the crease as the match reached its climax.
South Africa needed 12 runs from nine balls when Rabada came out to bat. He hit a four from the last ball of the penultimate over to leave the Proteas needing five runs from six balls.
Jansen then smashed the first ball of the last over for six to win the match, sending South Africa to the top of their Super Eight group after England’s earlier thrashing of the United States left the undefeated Proteas needing to win to stay alive.
“We keep finding a way to win these matches whatever the situation,” said player of the match Tabraiz Shamsi.
“Our supporters would probably like bigger wins. But things like this keep us in check and we’ve been able to overcome these moments throughout the tournament.”
Earlier, Roston Chase made 52 from 42 balls and shared an 81-run third wicket partnership with Kyle Mayers which provided the heart of the West Indies innings.
Mayers, who was making his first appearance at the tournament as a replacement for the injured Brandon King, opened the innings and made 35 from 34 balls.
The West Indies suffered a massive setback when it lost big-hitters Shai Hope and Nicholas Pooran in the first two overs.
Pooran made 98 from 53 balls in the West Indies’ last group match against Afghanistan and Hope made 82 from 39 balls in its nine-wicket win over USA on Friday.
But Hope was out for a first-ball duck against South Africa to the third ball of the match and Pooran fell for one to the first ball of the second over.
Chase hit the first ball he faced for four and hit the first six of the innings off Keshav Maharaj in the fifth over. He also lived on his luck to a degree: he was dropped on 11 and 14 on his way to a half-century from 39 balls.
Tabraiz Shamsi took 3-27 and captain Aiden Markram bowled his four overs consecutively at the top of the order and took 1-28.
South Africa also lost two wickets early: Reeza Hendricks and Quinton de Kock were out in the second over of their innings before the rain hit.
They seemed to have put themselves in a winning position with the help of Tristan Stubbs’ 29 from 27 but it finally came down to Jansen.
“Credit has to be given to the boys, I think we fought to the end,” West Indies captain Rovan Powell said. “I think it was a commendable bowling effort. After making 135 we just decided to give it our all and whatever happens happens.”
South Africa and England now await the results of Group 1’s final two matches – India v Australia and Afghanistan v Bangladesh – for their semi-final opponents with all four sides still a mathematical chance of progressing.
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