South Africa scored 194/4 in 20 overs, where as USA scored 176/6 in 20 overs.
So, finally South Africa beat USA by 18 runs.
South Africa commenced their Super 8 campaign with an 18-run victory over USA in Antigua, marking their fifth consecutive win at this T20 World Cup, matching their longest winning streak in the tournament’s history.
Despite setting a formidable target of 194/4, USA challenged them closely, remaining competitive until the beginning of the 19th over, when South Africa once again rose to the occasion and emerged victorious in a closely contested match.
The key factor: Kagiso Rabada
Although not deemed sufficient to secure the Player of the Match award, which was instead claimed by Quinton de Kock, Kagiso Rabada played a pivotal role in South Africa’s successful defense with bowling figures of 3 for 18.
He made an impact early in the innings with the new ball, consistently bowling around 145 km/h and quickly finding the right length on the pitch.
Furthermore, in the crucial 19th over, Rabada bowled a match-turning spell, which not only brought an end to a threatening 91-run partnership but also conceded only two runs.
South Africa’s Performance:
Powerplay: De Kock dominates
During the Powerplay phase, Quinton de Kock capitalized on the favorable batting conditions, propelling South Africa to a score of 64/1 with a flurry of boundaries and sixes.
Despite the sluggish pitch, de Kock’s aggressive approach helped South Africa achieve their third highest Power Play score in T20 World Cups.
Middle overs: A battle between SA and USA
In the middle overs, a solid partnership between de Kock and Aiden Markram laid the foundation for South Africa’s innings.
However, quick wickets in a double-wicket over provided USA with an opportunity to stage a comeback.
Despite losing wickets, South Africa managed to maintain momentum, reaching 77/3 in this phase.
Death overs: Klaasen, Stubbs propel the score
In the death overs, South Africa accelerated their scoring rate, aided by Heinrich Klaasen and Pite van Biljon, who propelled the team’s total into the 190s.
Although they didn’t lose any wickets in this phase, they couldn’t accelerate as desired, ending with a total of 194/4.
USA’s Performance:
Powerplay: USA maintains pace
USA’s innings began positively, with Steven Taylor and Nitish Kumar providing a solid start, reaching 53/2 in the Power Play phase.
However, Kagiso Rabada’s exceptional bowling in the final over of the Power Play slowed down their progress.
Middle overs: Regular wickets disrupt
During the middle overs, USA lost wickets at regular intervals, hampering their momentum.
Despite a fifty from Andries Gous and a flourishing partnership with Harmeet Singh, USA struggled to maintain consistency, reaching 69/3 in this phase.
Death overs: USA falls short
In the death overs, USA required a challenging target of 73 runs off the last five overs.
Although they showed resilience, Kagiso Rabada’s remarkable over in the 19th over sealed the match in South Africa’s favor, ultimately leading to USA’s defeat despite Gous’s valiant unbeaten innings of 80* off 47 balls.
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