In a crucial Group 1 encounter in Ahmedabad, South Africa won the toss and elected to bowl first and got regular wickets to restrict the West Indies to 83/7 at one stage. But the recovery from Jason Holder and Romario Shepherd allowed West Indies to post a competitive 176 on the board. But the Proteas through Aiden Markram has gotten off to a flier and controlling proceedings against West Indies who did not use a spinner in the powerplay.
Aiden Markram gets South Africa off to a flying start in powerplay.Â
Chasing 177 for the win, captain Aiden Markram and Quinton de Kock came out to open for South Africa while Matthew Forde came onto bowl for West Indies. Markram was quickly off the blocks as he stayed deep in the crease and crunched it on the up between cover and cover point for a boundary. Quinton got a thick outside edge that went past Holder at first slip for a boundary. Romario Shepherd came onto bowl from the other end.
Markram played the pick up shot and cleared midwicket for the maximum. Markram then played a lovely cover drive and showed his class for a boundary. Forde continued as Markram drove it crisply down the ground for a boundary past long-on. Markram survived a minor scare as Brandon King couldn’t quite take the catch at short extra cover. Jason Holder came into the attack next. Markram stood tall to get it over midwicket and played it over mid-on as the ball went away to the fence. Markram glanced it past short fine leg for a boundary.
Forde continued as Markram short arm pulled it away over the ropes over midwicket for a boundary. Markram then tried to drive it away as there was a fielding error from Shamar Joseph at cover point as he dived but could not stop the ball from going to the ropes. The 50 came up for South Africa and of the partnership in 5 overs.
Shamar Joseph came into the attack to bowl the last over of powerplay. Quinton de Kock joined the party now as sat deep in the crease and pummelled it over square leg for the maximum. Quinton then stood and delivered and got underneath it to loft it over covers for a boundary. Quinton again smashed the ball as the ball on the pads was whipped away over backward square leg for the maximum. At the completion of 6 overs of powerplay, South Africa were 69/0 with Markram unbeaten on 43 off 20 balls and de Kock unbeaten on 25 off 16 balls.
Quinton de Kock falls, but South Africa powers past 100 inside 10 overs.Â
Gudakesh Motie came into the attack next post the powerplay and Drinks. Quinton de Kock got a juicy full toss and smashed it over midwicket for the maximum. Quinton then hit the ball down the ground past his opening partner and away to the fence for a boundary. Roston Chase came into the attack next. Quinton bludgeoned it away and muscled it over deep midwicket for the maximum.
Quinton hung back and extended his hands to pull it down to the right of deep midwicket for a boundary. Chase dismissed Quinton de Kock for 47 off 24 balls to provide the breakthrough for West Indies as the batter hit 4 fours and 4 sixes to his name. Chase flighted it full and outside the off-stump. Quinton strode forward and tried to chip it away. He went with soft hands but the bat face got tilted in his hands during the time of contract. The ball flew off the inside half of the bat to long-on where Holder ran forward and took the catch.
Ryan Rickelton came out to bat next. Motie continued as Markram got to his fifty in 27 balls while South Africa’s 100 came up in 8.5 overs. Rickelton got a ball on the legs as he helped it away to deep backward square leg for a boundary. Chase came to bowl the 10th over of the innings. He bowled a decent 10th over as South Africa were 109/1 in 10 overs with Markram unbeaten on 53 off 31 balls and Rickelton unbeaten on 8 off 5 balls. The Proteas needed 68 runs off 60 balls from here.
What Lies Ahead.Â
South Africa have started really well courtesy of captain Aiden Markram as his half century alongside Quinton de Kock’s 47 has powered South Africa to a dominant position. West Indies needs wickets in clusters to make a match out of it. Advantage South Africa thanks to Markram’s brilliance. Let’s see if they finish this off quickly.
Also Read:Â ICC T20 WC 2026: Cameos From Jason Holder & Romario Shepherd Enlighten West Indies