Aiden Markram hammered a sensational 86 not out from just 44 balls to complete an excellent all-round performance from South Africa as they beat New Zealand by a resounding seven wickets with 17 balls to spare in their third T20 World Cup match at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Saturday evening.
Marco Jansen claimed 4-40 and some fine death bowling from Corbin Bosch helped restrict New Zealand to a modest total of 175 for seven after being asked to bat first, and Markram collected eight fours and four sixes as the Proteas romped to 178 for three in 17.1 overs.
It was an astonishing start to the run chase with the Proteas reaching 51-0 after just three overs with the South African captain straight driving sixes and flicking legside fours at will as New Zealand’s bowling attack quickly wilted under pressure. Quinton de Kock’s bristling 20 from 14 balls went almost unnoticed.
Earlier, Jansen claimed the first three wickets to fall as the Black Caps slipped from 33-0 in the third over to 58-3 in the sixt,h beginning with opener Tim Seifert (13), who was undone by the extra bounce and edged to ‘keeper de Kock.
Rachin Ravindra (13) ramped Jansen for six over third man, but a thick edge just carried to the edge of the fielding circle, where David Miller held a fine, diving catch at short third.
Opener Finn Allen kick-started the innings with 18 runs from Lungi Ngidi (4-0-34-1) in the third over, but his assault ended on 31 from 17 balls (4x4, 2x6) attempting to drive a near-yorker to Markram at mid off.
When Glenn Phillips (1) dragged a drive against Keshav Maharaj (3-0-24-1) onto his stumps, New Zealand were faltering at 64 for four, but Mark Chapman (48 from 26 balls) and Daryl Mitchell (32 from 24) repaired the damage with a measured, clinical counterattack worth 74 for the fifth wicket.
CAREER-BEST JANSEN
But Jansen (4-0-40-4) struck a fourth time for career-best figures when Chapman’s leading edge was caught by Ryan Rickelton at cover while Maharaj and Ngidi conceded just five runs from the 15th and 16th overs of the innings to wrest back control and put the brakes on the Black Caps when they needed to accelerate.
Mitchell drove Ngidi to Tristan Stubbs at long on, and captain Mitchell Santner managed just four runs from 10 balls before slice-driving Corbin Bosch to Rickelton on the cover boundary. Bosch (4-0-34-1) was outstanding in the final overs despite Jimmy Neesham (23* from 15 balls) hitting the final two deliveries for four.
Rickelton scored 21 from just 11 balls, Dewald Brevis contributed 21 from 17, and Miller continued his sumptuous form with 24* from 17 balls to ensure the most comfortable of wins.
South Africa have now qualified for the Super Eight stage of the competition ahead of their final group match against the UAE on Wednesday, while New Zealand remain well placed to join them in the second stage.
SOUTH AFRICA: Aiden Markram (captain), Quinton de Kock (wkt), Ryan Rickelton, Dewald Brevis, Tristan Stubbs, David Miller, Marco Jansen, Corbin Bosch, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi.
NEW ZEALAND: Finn Allen, Tim Seifert, Rachin Ravindra, Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman, Daryl Mitchell, Mitchell Santner, Jimmy Neesham, Matt Henry, Lockie Ferguson, Jacob Duffy.