South Africa crush West Indies in the T20 World Cup
South Africa beat West Indies. File Photo
South Africa beat West Indies. File Photo
Ahmedabad (Web Desk): South Africa crushed West Indies with Markram unbeaten 82, chasing 177 easily to move close to the T20 World Cup semi-finals.

South Africa delivered a powerful performance to defeat the West Indies by nine wickets in a one-sided T20 World Cup clash. Captain Aiden Markram led the team brilliantly with an unbeaten 82, guiding the chase comfortably and strengthening South Africa's position in the semi-final race.

West Indies looked in serious trouble early after collapsing to 83-7. However, a stunning recovery came through Romario Shepherd and Jason Holder, who built a record 89-run partnership for the eighth wicket. Their effort pushed West Indies to a competitive 176-8 despite the early damage.

South Africa's response was aggressive from the start. Quinton de Kock smashed 47 off just 24 balls, sharing a 95-run opening stand with Markram that completely shifted momentum. Later, Ryan Rickelton remained unbeaten on 45 as South Africa reached 177-1 with 23 balls to spare.

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Markram's fifty came off only 27 balls and included four sixes and seven fours, highlighting South Africa's batting dominance. The team remains unbeaten in the tournament and earlier defeated India convincingly, further strengthening their title credentials.

For the West Indies, Shepherd scored an unbeaten 52 while Holder made 49 before being run out on the second-last ball. Despite their late fightback, the early collapse proved too costly to recover from against a confident South African side. South Africa's bowlers played a key role in restricting the West Indies.

Lungi Ngidi picked up three wickets, while Kagiso Rabada and Corbin Bosch provided crucial breakthroughs that triggered the collapse.