Marco Jansen’s brisk fifty propelled South Africa to 169/8 against New Zealand in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026’s semi-final at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata, on Wednesday.
Put into bat first, South Africa accumulated 169/8 in their 20 overs, courtesy of a defiant sixth-wicket partnership between Jansen and Tristan Stubbs.
The Proteas, however, got off to a dismal start to their innings as they lost Quinton de Kock (10) and Ryan Rickelton (zero) in the second over with just 12 runs on the board.
Following the early stutter, captain Aiden Markram was joined by Dewald Brevis in the middle, and the duo batted cautiously to add 43 runs for the third wicket until the former fell victim to Rachin Ravindra in the eighth over after scoring a scratchy 18 off 20 deliveries.
Ravindra struck again in his next over, dismissing David Miller, who could score a run-a-ball six.
James Neesham inflicted another setback on South Africa in the next over as he dismissed set batter Brevis, who walked back after top-scoring with 34 off 27 deliveries with the help of three fours and two sixes, and brought the total down to 77/5.
Bowling all-rounder Marco Jansen and Tristan Stubbs then launched a spirited recovery for South Africa as they put together 73 runs for the sixth off just 46 deliveries until Lockie Ferguson cleaned up the latter on the first delivery of the penultimate over.
Stubbs scored an anchoring 29 off 24 deliveries with the help of two fours and a six.
Jansen, on the other hand, carried his onslaught until the end and returned after top-scoring with an unbeaten 55 off just 30 deliveries, studded with five sixes and two fours.
For New Zealand, Cole McConchie, Matt Henry and Ravindra bagged two wickets each, while Neesham and Ferguson made one scalp apiece.
