Ahmedabad, February 14 – Aiden Markram smashed a brilliant half-century as South Africa thrashed New Zealand by seven wickets to virtually qualify for the Super 8s of the men's T20 World Cup, here on Saturday.
Leading from the front in a highly-anticipated Group D clash, Markram's impressive 86-run innings demoralized the Kiwi attack and ensured South Africa completed the chase without any trouble.
New Zealand relied on a counter-attacking 74-run stand between Mark Chapman (48) and Daryl Mitchell (32) to post 175 for seven after being asked to bat.
The Proteas were in a hurry as they chased down the 176-run target in 17.1 overs, securing their third consecutive victory and taking the lead in Group D.
The match lived up to expectations as one of the most exciting games at the group stage, with nearly 55,000 fans filling the stadium to witness the action despite it being a non-India fixture.
With six points from three games, South Africa are favorites to advance to the next stage. They will play UAE next, while New Zealand will face Canada in Chennai on Tuesday. Unless there's an upset, the Black Caps will also qualify.
Mathematically, UAE (2 points) still has a chance to qualify for the Super 8s, but it will be a very difficult task.
The Proteas were playing their third match at this venue and were familiar with the conditions. Nothing worked for the Black Caps.
Markram set the tone early, smashing eight fours and four sixes at a strike rate of over 200.
Quinton de Kock (20 off 14) was dismissed by Lockie Ferguson after helping the Proteas get off to a good start, and Ryan Rickelton (21 off 11), whose brief innings maintained the momentum, also got out after a decent start.
The key moment came during a 40-run burst between Markram and Rickelton, which helped South Africa cross the 100-run mark in just eight overs. Even after Rickelton and Dewald Brevis (21) were dismissed in quick succession, there was no panic in the chase.
Markram seamlessly adapted, finding gaps and punishing anything short or too full.
He reached his half-century in just 28 balls, ensuring that the required run rate never became a problem. David Miller (24 not out) provided the finishing touches, guiding the team home with 17 balls to spare.
Miller ended the innings with a massive six over mid-wicket off Ferguson.
New Zealand began briskly
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Earlier, Tim Seifert (13 off 9) welcomed Marco Jansen with a six, while Finn Allen aggressively targeted Lungi Ngidi, smashing a massive straight six and a four in the same over.
The Black Caps reached 33 before Jansen used steep bounce to get Seifert caught by Quinton de Kock.
Jansen then dismissed Rachin Ravindra (13), caught by David Miller, and soon got rid of the dangerous Allen (31 off 17), who miscues to captain Aiden Markram.
Left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj tightened the screws further by getting Glenn Phillips (1) out, reducing New Zealand to 64 for four within seven overs.
Though Ngidi (1/34) and Kagiso Rabada (0/27) extracted good bounce from the surface, they did not fully capitalize. Ngidi, in particular, sometimes strayed in line, allowing the batters to free their arms.
With the innings threatening to unravel, Chapman and Mitchell rebuilt with composure and controlled aggression. Chapman smashed six fours and two sixes in his 48 off 26 balls, keeping the scoreboard moving with calculated risks.
Mitchell (32 off 24) provided stability and momentum, smashing a huge six off Markram when the South African captain introduced himself to break the stand.
Chapman also dispatched Markram over the boundary as the pair put pressure back on the bowlers.
Just as New Zealand looked set for a late flourish, Jansen returned to deny Chapman a deserved half-century, with Ryan Rickelton completing the catch. Mitchell was then dismissed by Ngidi, and captain Mitchell Santner was cheaply dismissed by Corbin Bosch, halting the momentum.
Jansen finished as the most successful bowler with 4 for 40, while Bosch delivered a disciplined four-over spell of 1 for 34, maintaining a tight, wicket-to-wicket line. Maharaj chipped in with 1 for 24.
James Neesham contributed a brisk unbeaten 23 towards the end.
