WI VS SA T20I

Right then, the two semifinalists from Group 2 are confirmed as South Africa and England make it through to the final four. There are still a couple of semifinal spots left in Group 1 and next up is probably the most anticipated clash of the tournament so far. It will be Australia taking on India at the Daren Sammy National Cricket Stadium in Gros Islet, St Lucia which will also be the penultimate match of the Super Eight stage. That game will be played on Monday, 24 June at 8 pm IST (2.30 pm GMT) but as usual, you can join us a lot sooner for the build-up. Till then, take care and goodbye!

The victorious skipper of South Africa, Aiden Markram is up for a quick chat. He says that such has been the course of the tournament for them where they have to dig deep to extract a victory and they are happy to have won those close games throughout. He says he is feeling relieved to get through to the semis but they wouldn't get relaxed just by this as they are aiming much higher. Adds that they bowled well to start with and assessed the condition well and restricted the Windies to a below-par total. Mentions that they will take the learnings from this game and do well in the coming games. Also says that they identified that the spin would be a trouble for them and they stuck to it and the surface helped them too. Says Kagiso Rabada bowling just two overs speaks volumes on how the surface was acting and they feel happy to have executed their plans to perfection. Closes by saying that they were looking to take the game on and act smartly looking at the conditions that were in front of them and they managed to do it successfully.

Rovman Powell, the captain of West Indies says that the credit must be given to the boys who fought till the end and it was with the bat that they lost the game. adds that the wicket wasn't easy to bat on and they just lost wickets in clusters in the middle phase which was decisive. Mentions that they wanted to give their all in the field and he is proud of the boys. Adds that looking on the outside, they aren't in the semis but they have gone from number 9 in the world to number 3 in the last year or so and it is now important to continue the good work and make their people proud. Ends by saying that the crowd and the support have been fantastic wherever they have played and it is good to see that the cricketing spirit hasn't died down in the Caribbean.

Tabraiz Shamsi is the Player of the Match for his stellar showing with the ball early on. He says that he was sweating at the end but it's been the theme of the tournament for them and they have been finding a way to win as a team no matter what the situation is. Adds that they had confidence in Marco and he delivered. Mentions that the fans like bigger wins but such victories of close margins are what gets a team going even more. Also says that the last time he played on this ground he went for a few but he had a good chat with the coaching staff and they helped him. Credits the other bowlers and says they set the tone up front and together as a unit they performed to their best level. Closes by saying it is always a one-sided love affair between rain, South Africa and chasing but luckily it did not hinder their progress today.

The Presentation ceremony...

Earlier in the game, Aiden Markram won the toss and put West Indies into bat first on a track that looked to be offering something for everyone. Markram picked up something early on from the pitch and was very smart to use a lot of spin in the first 10 overs. Markram even bowled a four-over spell himself upfront and they managed to pick up early wickets as well. Then came the 81-run stand between Kyle Mayers and Roston Chase that got the hosts into a position of promise but with overs running out and the run rate not quite where they would have wanted it to be, the batters had to push. South Africa took advantage of this and kept pressing as the wickets started to tumble and restricted them to just 135 runs with Chase being the star with a well-compiled half-century. In reply, it was a stop-start chase with rain impeding play but South Africa managed to hit enough boundaries in the middle phase than allowed them to get over the line when things got tight.

Utter heartbreak for West Indies who have played some scintillating cricket throughout this tournament but have been undone tonight in a must-win game by an unbeaten Proteas side that was riding high on confidence. They needed wickets upfront and Andre Russell delivered in the second over of the chase, sending back both openers. They needed to find the same momentum after the rain break and Alzarri Joseph bowled an aggressive spell that brought wickets for the hosts. However, a couple of expensive overs from the spinner, especially that 20-run over from Gudakesh Motie completely shifted the momentum into the opposition's favor. They did rally back as Roston Chase bowled a lovely spell during a difficult phase and took them to the brink but it just wasn't enough.

Originally needing 135 runs for the win, South Africa started poorly as Reeza Hendricks got strangled down the leg side for a golden duck. In the next over, Quinton de Kock was caught out in the deep and then came the rain which halted play for a long while. The target was revised to 123 in 17 overs and the Proteas came out with positive intent. Aiden Markram and Tristan Stubbs started to find the fence but Markram was the aggressor and soon fell. Heinrich Klaasen then came in and added 35 quickfire runs along with Stubbs which seemed to have got them in a comfortable position but Klaasen too fell. David Miller looked patchy and was undone by Roston Chase and even Stubbs fell when the finishing line was in sight. However, Jansen and Rabada remained cool and finished off the game in style.

SOUTH AFRICA HAVE DONE IT! Marco Jansen, you beauty! And would you believe it? The two men who collided in the first innings at the boundary have now hit a couple of telling blows each to take South Africa into the semifinals of the T20 World Cup after a decade. The Proteas not only top Group 2 but remain unbeaten and have now picked up 7 wins on the trot. Massive heartbreak though for the home side West Indies who really pulled things back and gave themselves some hop but thee target was always a couple of big shots away and they simply didn't have enough runs on the board.

SIX! South Africa are through to the semis. Pitched up around off, Marco Jansen clears the front leg leans back a bit and slogs this over the fence straight down the ground towards long on region for a maximum to wrap this game. South Africa wins this by 3 wickets and they have knocked out the hosts of the T20 World Cup.

Who will bowl the final over? Andre Russell and Alzarri Joseph are both bowled out. It has to be Obed McCoy, right? Yes, it is McCoy! Can he defend 4 runs and become the hero for his team? Let's find out.

FOUR! What a time to smash a boundary. Tossed up outside off, Kagiso Rabada shuffles to his leg, opens the off side and drives this all along the ground through cover for a boundary. Kagiso Rabada has been doing it with the ball for the Proteas in the previous games now he is standing tall with the bat as well.

Oh, dear, extras! Floats one angling into the batter, Kagiso Rabada moves to his leg and swings but misses the ball misses everything and deflects off the keeper's pads behind the stumps and the batters run a couple of byes. Pressure getting the better of Nicholas Pooran on this occasion.

Tossed up on off, Marco Jansen flicks this towards the deep mid-wicket region for one.

Floats one around the pads, Kagiso Rabada tucks this towards the leg side and takes a quick single.

Kagiso Rabada is the new man in.

OUT! CAUGHT! Roston Chase has bossed this game so far. Tossed up outside off, Keshav Maharaj looks to take on the boundary rider and jumps down the track and looks to clear the fielder at long off. The bat tilts in his hands at the time of connection with the ball and the ball is lofted toward Alzarri Joseph at long off who doesn't make a mistake and pouches it safely.