Brief scores: South Africa (154/5 in 17.5 ov) beat Zimbabwe (153/7 in 20 ov) by 5 wickets in Delhi in a Super 8 match.
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South Africa have continued their stellar run in the T20 World Cup, heading into the semifinals unbeaten. On Sunday, March 1, Aiden Markram’s men edged past Zimbabwe by five wickets at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi. Sikandar Raza shone with a brilliant all-round display, but his heroics weren’t enough to turn the tide.
Zimbabwe had captured hearts in the group stages, topping the table with wins over Sri Lanka and Australia. Raza had embraced the underdog narrative, hoping his team could continue their fairy-tale journey. Yet, the Super 8s proved a different challenge altogether, as Zimbabwe struggled to find momentum and lost all their matches.
For South Africa, the Super 8s only reinforced their dominance. Topping the group, Markram’s side will carry confidence and momentum into the first semifinal, where they will lock horns with Mitchell Santner’s New Zealand on Wednesday, March 4, at the iconic Eden Gardens in Kolkata.
RAZA PLAYS A BLINDER
Raza once again carried Zimbabwe with the bat in a challenging innings against the Proteas, stepping up as the rest of the lineup struggled to get going. After winning the toss, Zimbabwe batted first, but early wickets quickly put the side under pressure. Tadiwanashe Marumani (7) and Brian Bennett (15) fell cheaply, leaving Raza to anchor the innings.
Raza’s response was nothing short of spectacular. He raced to his fifty off just 29 balls and batted with intent until the 17th over, finishing with 73 runs off 43 balls, including eight fours and four sixes, at a strike rate of 169.76. His composure and aggressive strokeplay injected momentum into Zimbabwe’s innings, preventing a collapse under the weight of early loss of wickets.
Kwena Maphaka emerged as the standout bowler for South Africa, claiming the wickets of Raza and Marumani, finishing with impressive figures of 4-0-21-2. Corbin Bosch also took two wickets but was expensive, conceding 40 runs.
After Raza’s dismissal, Clive Madande’s unbeaten 26 ensured Zimbabwe crossed the 150-run mark, ending at 153 for seven in 20 overs. Despite the challenges, Raza’s innings was the highlight, showcasing both skill and resilience in guiding his team to a competitive total.
RAZA’S EFFORTS NOT ENOUGH
Raza shouldered Zimbabwe’s hopes with the ball as well, delivering early breakthroughs that briefly put South Africa on the back foot. The captain struck immediately, dismissing Quinton de Kock for a duck and trapping Aiden Markram in the third over, reducing the Proteas to a precarious 14 for two. For a moment, it seemed Zimbabwe could defend their modest total of 153.
Raza’s brilliance continued as he removed Dewald Brevis, who had begun to steady the innings with a quickfire 42 off 18 balls. Raza finished with impressive figures of 4-0-29-3, combining control and aggression to keep the opposition under pressure. His spell highlighted both his skill and leadership, as he led the bowling attack almost single-handedly.
However, Raza did not receive enough support from his teammates. Tristan Stubbs and George Linde shared an unbeaten 53-run partnership, effortlessly guiding South Africa past the target with 13 balls to spare. Stubbs held firm with an unbeaten 21 off 24 balls, and Linde complemented him with a quick 30 not out from 21 deliveries. Other bowlers leaked runs at crucial moments, and Zimbabwe’s early breakthroughs proved insufficient to stem the chase.
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