South Africa’s dominant performance against New Zealand in the T20 World Cup on Saturday was highlighted by Captain Aiden Markam’s impressive unbeaten 86 runs and Marco Jansen’s 4-40 bowling figures. The victory virtually secures South Africa’s spot in the Super Eights stage.
Jansen’s left-arm pace played a crucial role in restricting New Zealand to 175-7 during the Group D encounter in Ahmedabad. South Africa took control early in the game, amassing 83-1 in the power play, setting up a comfortable chase of 176.
Markram’s aggressive batting saw him reach his fifty in just 19 balls, including eight boundaries and a six off New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner. Despite losing a few wickets, Markram remained steady, eventually guiding South Africa to victory with an unbeaten 44-ball innings.
With this win, South Africa remains a top contender to progress to the Super Eights, along with New Zealand, although the United Arab Emirates and Afghanistan still have an outside chance.
Notable performances included David Miller’s unbeaten 24 runs and Finn Allen’s quick 31 runs for New Zealand. Jansen’s crucial wickets disrupted New Zealand’s middle order, ultimately leading to their downfall.
The match concluded with South Africa comfortably reaching 178-3 with 17 balls to spare, securing their third win in three games and strengthening their position in the tournament.