South Africa overcame a spirited fightback from the USA to register an 18-run victory in their Group 2 Super Eight match of the T20 World Cup on Wednesday. The USA, led by the exceptional performance of South Africa-born Andries Gous, came agonizingly close to pulling off an upset, but ultimately fell short against a more experienced Proteas side.
Chasing a formidable target of 195 runs on a batting-friendly pitch at Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, the USA faced an uphill battle against South Africa’s potent bowling attack. However, the Associate nation showcased incredible resilience, finishing with 176 for six wickets. Gous, who has played for South Africa at the U-19 level, led the USA’s fightback with an unbeaten 80 runs off 47 balls, peppering the South African bowlers with five sixes and an equal number of fours. He formed a crucial 91-run partnership with Harmeet Singh (38 runs), keeping the USA in the contest until the final over.
Despite a promising start by Steven Taylor (24 runs), other USA batsmen, including captain Aaron Jones (0), Corey Anderson (12), and Shayan Jahangir (3), struggled to make a significant impact. The USA found themselves in a precarious position at 76/5 in the 12th over, requiring a further 119 runs for victory. However, Gous’s unwavering determination and Harmeet’s timely blows, particularly against Tabraiz Shamsi, kept the USA in the hunt, even as the required run rate hovered around 15 runs per over.
Ultimately, it was Kagiso Rabada’s (3 wickets) brilliance that sealed the victory for South Africa. Rabada broke the crucial partnership between Gous and Harmeet in the penultimate over, allowing only two runs. Although the USA’s resistance reduced South Africa’s margin of victory, the Proteas were able to secure their first two points of the tournament.
Earlier in the match, South Africa’s top order finally came good, setting a strong foundation for their innings. Quinton de Kock, who led the charge with a blistering 74 runs off 40 balls, including his maiden T20 World Cup fifty, and captain Aiden Markram’s fluent 46 runs helped the Proteas banish their top-order woes that had plagued them in the group stage. Heinrich Klaasen (36* ) and Tristan Stubbs (20* ) added an unbeaten 53 runs for the fifth wicket in just five overs, guiding South Africa to a total of 194/4 in their allotted 20 overs. De Kock’s fireworks at the top and Markram’s steady contribution provided a solid platform for South Africa’s victory.
