South Africa has extended their unbeaten run in the 2026 T20 World Cup with a comfortable 5-wicket victory over Zimbabwe on Sunday.
Having wrapped up the Super Eight stage, South Africa will next face New Zealand in the semi-finals in Kolkata on Wednesday.
On Sunday, Zimbabwe captain Sikandar Raza produced a brilliant all-round show, scoring 73 runs and claiming three wickets against South Africa in New Delhi.
However, it was not enough to halt the South African juggernaut. After restricting Zimbabwe to 153/7, the Proteas chased down the target in 17.5 overs, completing a five-wicket win to extend their unbeaten run at the tournament.
Electing to bat first, Zimbabwe had stepped out with intent and scored 13 runs in the first over. But South Africa packed off both the openers inside the first five overs.
Coming in at 28/2, the experienced Raza held the innings together even as Zimbabwe kept losing wickets at regular intervals. In a knock studded with four sixes and eight fours, Raza scored 73 off 43 balls.
He built a 38-run partnership with Dion Myers for the third wicket, and a 39-run stand with Clive Madande to provide some much-needed solidity. Madande’s cameo of 26 not out took Zimbabwe to 153/7 in 20 overs.
With South Africa deciding to rotate the team, they brought in Anrich Nortje and Kwena Maphaka in place of Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen. And both the bowlers delivered wickets in their first overs. Not only did Maphaka provide the first breakthrough, but he finished with the best figures on the day for South Africa with 2/21 in four overs.
Lungi Ngidi became South Africa’s highest wicket taker in T20s after trapping Ryan Burl lbw, overtaking Tabraiz Shamsi’s tally of 89 wickets.
Defending a target of 154, Zimbabwe made early inroads, dismissing both the Proteas openers inside the first three overs.
After a star turn with the bat, captain Raza (3/29) spearheaded with the ball as well. Quinton De Kock fell trying to cut Raza and ended up nicking the ball to wicketkeeper Tadiwanashe Marumani. Meanwhile, Aiden Markram was done in with a ball that stayed too low and crashed into his stumps.
Ryan Burl then made his presence felt in the field as he took two brilliant catches to send back Ryan Rickelton (31) and Dewald Brevis (42).
From 43/3 in powerplay, South Africa made a recovery through Brevis and David Miller, who built a 50-run partnership in just 25 balls. Not one to back down from a challenge, Brevis answered fire with fire, hitting two fours and four sixes during his innings to snatch the momentum from Zimbabwe.
It was not a pitch-perfect batting display by South Africa, but they did enough on the day. George Linde (30 not out) and Tristan Stubbs (21) made sure there wasn’t any more damage as they took the team across the finish line at 154/5 with over two overs to spare.
Courtesy of the International Cricket Council.
