South Africa are on the brink of the Super 8s at the T20 World Cup after a resounding seven-wicket win over New Zealand in Ahmedabad took them to three victories from three.
The Proteas won the battle of the previously unbeaten teams in Group D, restricting the Black Caps to 175-7 as Marco Jansen bagged 4-40 and then reaching their target with 17 balls to spare thanks chiefly to captain Aiden Markram’s 86 not out from 44 deliveries.
South Africa’s triumph follows a 57-run win over Canada and then a gripping victory over Afghanistan which came after two Super Overs were required, with Markam’s men to wrap up their pool campaign against UAE in Delhi on Wednesday (5.30am UK).
Victory in that match will guarantee a Super 8s spot for the Proteas but their place will be assured as soon as Monday if Afghanistan beat UAE in Delhi or a day later if Canada defeat New Zealand in Chennai.
New Zealand, who downed Afghanistan and UAE in their first two games, are likely to qualify for the Super 8s if they see off Canada but could also advance if they suffer a shock loss depending on other results.
The Kiwis were well beaten on Saturday, hitting an under-par total after threatening to top 200 at one stage and then demolished by Markram as the South Africa skipper cracked a 19-ball half-century.
It was New Zealand’s fifth loss to South Africa from five matches at T20 World Cups, with this latest reverse sealed when David Miller (24no off 17) flogged Lockie Ferguson (1-33) for six over midwicket.
South Africa’s Marco Jansen bagged four wickets, removing Tim Seifert, Finn Allen, Rachin Ravindra and Mark Chapman
Jansen stars with the ball for South Africa
New Zealand raced to 33-0 inside four overs after being inserted thanks to Finn Allen (31 off 17) and Tim Seifert (13 off 9) but then found themselves 64-4 in the seventh, with the wobble starting when Jansen nicked off Seifert.
Giant seamer Jansen also struck twice in the sixth over, removing Allen and Rachin Ravindra (13 off 8), before Keshav Maharaj (1-24) took out Glenn Phillips’ leg stump, dismissing the batter for just one.
Mark Chapman (48 off 26) and Daryl Mitchell (32 off 24) combined for a fifth-wicket stand of 74 from 44 deliveries, an alliance ended when Chapman skewed a Jansen slower ball to backward point.
New Zealand’s Chapman hit six fours and two sixes in his knock of 48 from 26 balls at Narendra Modi Stadium
New Zealand lost 3-7 from that point before a cameo from Jimmy Neesham (23no off 15) included striking the final two deliveries of the innings, bowled by Corbin Bosch (1-34) for four.
Boundaries flowed at the start of the run chase with South Africa amassing 12 across the first four overs as Markram, mostly, but also Quinton de Kock (20 off 14) thumped Ferguson, Matt Henry and Jacob Duffy – the pair putting on 62 from 28 balls.
De Kock passed 3,000 T20 international runs, becoming the 13th men’s player to achieve that feat, before he was cleaned up by a slower delivery from Ferguson in the fifth over.
Ryan Rickelton (21 off 11), Dewald Brevis (21 off 17) and Miller also chipped in for South Africa but Markram was the main man.
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