By Travis Seymour
The West Indies team will have to watch the semifinals and final of the T20 World Cup from home after South Africa clinched a tense three-wicket victory in a rain-affected match at Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Ground in Antigua.
South Africa managed to secure their spot in the semifinal, overcoming both a tricky pitch and the rain.
The match, disrupted by weather conditions, saw the Caribbean team struggle after losing the toss and being put to bat first, ending their innings with a modest 135 for 8 in 20 overs.
Kyle Mayers, who stepped in for the injured Brandon King, provided a steady start with 35 runs off 34 balls.
However, the Windies faced early setbacks as Shai Hope was dismissed for a golden duck and Nicholas Pooran managed only a single run.
Roston Chase played a crucial role, scoring 52 runs from 42 balls, including three boundaries and two sixes, but the rest of the lineup failed to make significant contributions.
South Africa’s Tobraiz Shamsi delivered an exceptional performance with his spin, taking 3 wickets for 27 runs and bowling nine overs of dot balls.
Marco Jansen, Aiden Markram, Keshav Maharaj, and Kagiso Rabada each chipped in with a wicket, effectively containing the West Indies’ batting effort.
In their reply, South Africa faced a shaky start with Quinton De Kock scoring 12, Reeza Hendricks going for a duck, and skipper Aiden Markram contributing 18 runs.
However, a stabilizing partnership between Tristan Stubbs, who scored 29, and Heinrich Klaasen, who added 22, helped to steady their innings.
A crucial late knock of 21 from Marco Jansen guided the Proteas to victory, as they reached 124 for 7 in 16.1 overs under the Duckworth-Lewis method.
This victory allows South Africa to advance in the tournament, leaving the West Indies to reflect on their performance as they are knocked out of their home World Cup campaign.