HIGHLIGHTS West Indies vs South Africa, ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026, Super 8 - 7 T20- Result, Scorecard

We are back for South Africa's reply with the bat. The two umpires and players have made their way out to the centre. Aiden Markram and Quinton de Kock are the two openers for South Africa. Matthew Forde will open the attack for the Men in Maroon. Markram on strike.

... THE RUN CHASE ...

Looking ahead - South Africa will be slightly disappointed that they allowed the West Indies off the hook after having their foot firmly on the throat. Even so, they will feel confident about chasing this down. On this red soil surface, there has been little to suggest that batting is particularly challenging. The pitch has played true for the most part, without any major demons. West Indies will be on the hunt for early wickets to put South Africa on the back foot. Stay tuned for the chase!

From loose to lethal - It was an indifferent start from South Africa, conceding 29 runs in the first two overs and putting down a couple of chances as well. Despite that shaky beginning, they managed to strike back strongly, picking up four wickets inside the Powerplay. Just as he did in the game against India, Aiden Markram kept ringing the changes intelligently, and his quicks did not disappoint him.

Shepherd and Holder script the rescue - After being asked to bat first, West Indies did not give themselves the best chance to score on this surface. Having played their previous games in Mumbai and Kolkata before arriving in Ahmedabad, they found the steep bounce tough to tackle, and it played a significant role in several of the dismissals. Yet the Windies refused to rein in their attacking instincts. No one took the responsibility to play themselves in and stabilise the innings until Romario Shepherd and Jason Holder combined to engineer a recovery for their side.

Good execution at the death from South Africa - Just 13 runs came off the last 2 overs. West Indies will take 176, considering that they were 83/7 at one stage and staring down the barrel. The 57-ball 89-run stand between Romario Shepherd and Jason Holder has helped them get to a competitive total.

Corbin Bosch to Romario Shepherd, FOUR! A streaky boundary to finish the innings! Corbin Bosch bowls this in the blockhole, on middle and leg. Romario Shepherd moves to the leg side and gets his bat down in time. It takes the inside edge and races to the fine leg fence for four runs. Shepherd also brings up his FIFTY on the last ball. West Indies finish on 176/8!

Gudakesh Motie comes out to the middle. But, it will be Romario Shepherd on strike for the final ball.

Corbin Bosch to Romario Shepherd, OUT! JASON HOLDER IS RUN OUT! Corbin Bosch nails another yorker, angling into the leg side. Romario Shepherd backs away and tries to dig it out but misses as the ball goes between his legs to the keeper. Holder sets off for the bye, but Shepherd is not even looking at him as he is more focused on the ball. Quinton de Kock throws the ball back to Bosch, who takes the bails off, with Holder not even in the frame. End of a fine knock and a partnership worth 89 runs that led West Indies' recovery.

Corbin Bosch to Jason Holder, Corbin Bosch sees the batter move across and bowls this full, outside off. Jason Holder tries the scoop but gets cramped up and hits it straight to short fine. They cross.

Corbin Bosch to Romario Shepherd, Excellent bowling! Right in the blockhole, on middle, Romario Shepherd cannot get under it and drills it down to long on for just another run.

Corbin Bosch to Jason Holder, Low full toss, angling into the pads again, Jason Holder clips it through mid-wicket for a run.

Corbin Bosch to Romario Shepherd, Gets the yorker right, angling into the leg side. Romario Shepherd just about manages to squeeze it out to deep mid-wicket for a single.

Another excellent day at the office for Lungi Ngidi. Corbin Bosch to close out the innings for South Africa. 3-0-23-2 so far for Bosch.

Lungi Ngidi to Jason Holder, Superb bowling! Repeats the dose of the dipping yorker, on middle. Jason Holder can only dig it back to the bowler. Just 5 runs off the over!

Lungi Ngidi to Romario Shepherd, Loopy, dipping yorker, on off. Romario hits it to long on for a single.

Lungi Ngidi to Romario Shepherd, FOUR! Streaky but he won't mind one bit! Pitched up and on off, takes pace off again. Romario Shepherd has a hoick across the line. Gets an outside edge that flies between the keeper and short third for a boundary.

Lungi Ngidi to Romario Shepherd, Make that three dots! Action replay for the third ball in a row. Romario Shepherd is really struggling to pick the slower one here. He once again looks to send the ball into the orbit over mid-wicket but misses. Has a wry smile on his face.

Lungi Ngidi to Romario Shepherd, Two dots now! Another fine slower one, full but near the tramline this time. Romario Shepherd gets bamboozled by it once again and cannot do anything about it.

Lungi Ngidi to Romario Shepherd, Beaten! Lungi Ngidi bowls that deceptive slower one, full and on off, dips in. Romario Shepherd swings at it but the ball goes under his bat and to the keeper.

West Indies are motoring along. Lungi Ngidi (3-0-25-3) to bowl the 19th over.

Marco Jansen to Jason Holder, FOUR! Deft touch now! Hard-length delivery and around off. Jason Holder lets it come to him and uses the pace of the ball to steer it past short third for four more runs. 23 runs off the over!

Marco Jansen to Jason Holder, Tries the yorker, but bowls a full toss, on middle, Jason Holder clips it away between deep square and deep mid-wicket. There is a fumble and the batters take the second run.

Marco Jansen to Jason Holder, SIX! Oh..that is just effortless! Marco Jansen goes back to his fuller length and on off, but this one is in the slot. Jason Holder clears his front leg away and tonks it over the long off fence for half a dozen more. Jansen turns away in disgust.

Marco Jansen to Jason Holder, FOUR! Nice shot! Short of a length and on middle, but that will not trouble the towering figure of Holder. He gets on top of it and pulls it with disdain to the deep square leg fence for a boundary. 150 up for the Windies now.

Marco Jansen to Jason Holder, Good bowling! Gets the slower one right this time, on a good length and around off. Jason Holder once again swings for the hills but goes through the shot very early. Misses it.

Marco Jansen to Jason Holder, WIDE! Back of a length and outside off, takes pace off again but this one just angles further away. Jason Holder has a wild swing across the line but misses. Called a wide.

Marco Jansen to Jason Holder, SIX! Jason Holder joins the party now! Slower one, full and just around off. Jason Holder uses his long levers to reach out for it and dispatches it with ease over the long on fence for a biggie.

Kagiso Rabada to Romario Shepherd, Shout for LBW, but turned down! Aiden Markram takes the review here. Kagiso Rabada bowls a good yorker, on middle, just dips under the bat. Romario Shepherd fails to get it away and the ball hits his front pad. However, UltraEdge shows a clear spike when the ball is near the toe-end of the bat. The on-field call of Not Out remains. 4-0-22-2, Rabada is done with his exceptional spell.

LBW review! Not given by umpire Kumar Dharmasena, but Kagiso Rabada looks interested. Aiden Markram has taken the review. A spike when the ball is near the toe end of the blade. The on-field call of NOT OUT stands!

Kagiso Rabada to Jason Holder, On a shortish length, on middle. Holder dabs it on the leg side and crosses over.

Kagiso Rabada to Romario Shepherd, Fullish delivery and around leg, Romario Shepherd tucks it through mid-wicket for a single.

Kagiso Rabada to Romario Shepherd, Pitched up and on the pads, Romario Shepherd clips it away but straight to short fine. A bit to either side, and it would have been a boundary.

Kagiso Rabada to Romario Shepherd, Uppish but safe! Full again and around off, slower this time. Romario Shepherd looks to loft it away but ends up slicing it in the air over cover. Aiden Markram runs backwards but fails to reach the ball. Two taken.

Kagiso Rabada to Romario Shepherd, WIDE! Fuller but down the leg side, Romario Shepherd fails to glance it away. Wided.

Kagiso Rabada to Romario Shepherd, SIX! Romario Shepherd tees off! This is on a good length and angling into the leg side. Shepherd picks it off his pads and whips it way over the deep square leg fence for half a dozen more. That also brings up the 50-RUN STAND between the batters.

Whom does Aiden Markram turn to now? He calls back Kagiso Rabada. 3-0-11-2 so far for the speedster.

Corbin Bosch to Romario Shepherd, Pitched up and on middle, Romario Shepherd drills it down to long on for one more. 11 runs off the over!

Corbin Bosch to Romario Shepherd, FOUR! Excellent shot! Much fuller and just outside off, pace on this time. Romario Shepherd manages to get under it and smacks in the gap to the right of sweeper cover for a boundary.

Corbin Bosch to Romario Shepherd, Nicely bowled! A loopy, slower delivery, full and on off, dips in late. Romario Shepherd looks to slog it away but once again goes through his shot early and misses.

Corbin Bosch to Romario Shepherd, Nails the wide yorker, outside off, just inside the tramline. Romario Shepherd tries to reach out for it but fails to connect.

Corbin Bosch to Romario Shepherd, SIX! Stand and deliver! Corbin Bosch bangs this into the pitch, on middle, but not short enough to trouble the batter. Romario Shepherd climbs onto it and whacks it over the deep mid-wicket fence for a biggie.

Corbin Bosch to Romario Shepherd, Drops short! Back of a length and around off, takes pace off. Romario Shepherd swings decades early, but the ball arrives late. It takes the underedge and goes on the bounce to the keeper.

Keshav Maharaj to Romario Shepherd, Another short delivery, on middle and leg, Romario Shepherd nudges it off the back foot to deep mid-wicket for one. A tough outing for Maharaj with the ball, as he ends up conceding 43 runs in his 4 overs.

Keshav Maharaj to Romario Shepherd, Pushed through quicker, shortish and on middle, Romario Shepherd stays back and pats it to the bowler.

Keshav Maharaj to Jason Holder, Floated, full and on middle, Jason Holder uses his feet and lofts it down to long on for a run.

Keshav Maharaj to Romario Shepherd, Drops it short and on middle, Romario Shepherd punches it to long on for a single.

Keshav Maharaj to Romario Shepherd, SIX! Makes it look easy! Tossed up, full and well outside off. Romario Shepherd extends his arms to reach out for it and powers it over the deep extra cover fence for a biggie.

Keshav Maharaj to Romario Shepherd, Arm ball, full and angling into leg. Romario Shepherd stays back to clip it away but misses and gets hit on the pads.

DRINKS BREAK! West Indies would have been in more trouble had there been a better effort from Keshav Maharaj. A lot rests on this pair of Jason Holder and Romario Shepherd to help them recover and finish strongly. South Africa will know that if they break this stand, they can open one end up with Gudakesh Motie and Shamar Joseph to follow, though Motie can wield his willow. Keshav Maharaj to continue after the break.

Lungi Ngidi to Jason Holder, JUST SHORT! Lungi Ngidi bowls a deceptive slower one, full and around off, dips in late. Jason Holder just gets his bat out to push it away but ends up lobbing it towards extra cover, where Keshav Maharaj is a bit late to react. He moves to his front but grabs it on the bounce. Ngidi is not happy at all.

Lungi Ngidi to Jason Holder, FOUR! That is pure placement from Holder! Lungi Ngidi bowls it on a back of a length, on the fifth stump. Jason Holder waits for the delivery to arrive and just guides it through backward point for four runs.

Lungi Ngidi to Romario Shepherd, Short, on off, Romario Shepherd pulls it to deep mid-wicket for one.

Lungi Ngidi to Romario Shepherd, Now that one stays low! On a hard length, outside off. Romario Shepherd looks to cut at it but the ball skids through after pitching and gets past the under edge.

Lungi Ngidi to Romario Shepherd, SIX! What a shot that is from Romario Shepherd! Full-length delivery, on the fourth stump, slower too. Romario Shepherd loads his arms and hoists it over the long off fence for a massive six. That brings up the 100 for West Indies.

Lungi Ngidi to Jason Holder, On a back of a length, on off and middle. This is pulled through square leg for a single.

Keshav Maharaj to Jason Holder, Short, on middle, Jason Holder pulls it to deep mid-wicket for a single.

Keshav Maharaj to Jason Holder, FOUR! Just out of reach! Flat and shorter, just outside off. Jason Holder opens the face of the bat before cutting it. The ball flies flat and left of the backward point fielder. He dives and extends his left hand, but the ball evades him and races away to the fence for four runs.

Keshav Maharaj to Jason Holder, Fuller, angling down the leg side. Jason Holder opens his stance and attempts another slog, but gets an inside edge onto the pads and the ball rolls behind.

Keshav Maharaj to Romario Shepherd, Fuller, on middle, Romario Shepherd pushes it to long on for a single.

Keshav Maharaj to Jason Holder, A touch short, angling in, on leg. Jason Holder miscues his slog to deep mid-wicket and gets a single.

Keshav Maharaj to Jason Holder, Maharaj starts with a short delivery, on off, Jason Holder hangs back and punches it back to the bowler.

Kagiso Rabada to Jason Holder, Angling in, on middle, Jason Holder drives it to long on. Single taken.

Kagiso Rabada to Romario Shepherd, Kagiso Rabada once again aims for the yorker, but this time the ball slips out of his hand. He spills out a full toss, outside the off pole, just below the waist of the batter. Romario Shepherd pushes it to cover and gets a single.

Kagiso Rabada to Jason Holder, Slower yorker, on off. Jason Holder is alert as he eases it to long on and gets the single.

Kagiso Rabada to Romario Shepherd, Pitches it up, does Rabada, outside off. Romario Shepherd punches it to sweeper cover to rotate the strike.

Kagiso Rabada to Romario Shepherd, Back of a length, pitching it outside off and nips in. Romario Shepherd attempts to pull it, but it goes past the under edge.

Kagiso Rabada to Romario Shepherd, Full-length delivery, on off, Romario Shepherd leans and drives it crisply, but straight to the fielder in the short cover region.

Corbin Bosch to Romario Shepherd, Back of a length, on off, Romario Shepherd hangs back and pushes it to deep cover to get an easy single.

Corbin Bosch to Romario Shepherd, On a length, around the pads of the batter. Romario Shepherd tucks it to the right of the deep square leg fielder and gets a brace.

Halt! The umpires have asked the physio to come on for the concussion check. The test is complete, and Romario Shepherd is ready to resume.

Corbin Bosch to Romario Shepherd, Ouch, Romario Shepherd takes a blow! Bouncer from Corbin Bosch, on off and middle. Romario Shepherd ducks as he detects the bouncer, but the ball doesn't bounce as much as he expected. It deflects off the right shoulder of the batter onto the grill of the helmet.

Corbin Bosch to Romario Shepherd, Full-length delivery, on middle, Romario Shepherd tucks it to mid-wicket.

Another one bites the dust. Romario Shepherd comes out to the middle now. A long chat between him and Holder about how to go about things from here.

Corbin Bosch to Matthew Forde, OUT! IN THE AIR AND GONE! A tame dismissal. Corbin Bosch has his arms aloft. Cross-seam ball, angled in, on a good length, on off and middle. Forde looks to whip it away but that is a high-risk shot on this strip given the steep bounce. He swings half-heartedly and just checks his shot. The ball catches the upper half of the bat and goes down to deep backward square leg, where Ryan Rickelton runs in off the ropes and dives to complete the catch.

Corbin Bosch to Jason Holder, On a hard length, angling in, on off. Jason Holder dabs it late to the deep third region and gets a comfortable single.

West Indies are 82/6 at the halfway stage. They have scored at a decent rate but have lost a few too many wickets here. However, they are still going after the bowlers and will not die wondering.

Marco Jansen to Matthew Forde, Jansen fires a bouncer, on leg and middle. Matthew Forde ducks underneath the delivery to let it travel to the keeper.

Marco Jansen to Matthew Forde, Slower and fuller, on off, Forde leans on the delivery and defends it to cover.

Marco Jansen to Matthew Forde, SIX! Clean strike! On the shorter side, around off. This sits up to be hit, around the waist. Forde pivots and nails the pull over deep mid-wicket for a biggie. Forde has a go at the bowler and he looks up for the fight.

Marco Jansen to Matthew Forde, Back of a length, on off, Matthew Forde hops a bit to defend, but the ball gets big on the batter and beats the outside edge.

Marco Jansen to Matthew Forde, FOUR! Hammered away! Short of a length from Jansen, on off, angling it a bit away from the batter. Matthew Forde stays on his back foot and pulls it hard to the deep mid-wicket region for four runs.

Marco Jansen to Matthew Forde, Back of a length, angling across the right-hander. Matthew Forde camps back to punch it away, but the ball leaves him on the angle.

Marco Jansen (2-0-17-0) is back on.

Lungi Ngidi to Jason Holder, Short, outside off, Jason Holder connects his cut shot, but finds the fielder in the backward point region.

Lungi Ngidi to Jason Holder, Beaten! A wobble seam ball now from Ngidi, outside off. Jason Holder goes deep into the crease to cut it away, but the ball nips back and stays low to go under the inside edge of the willow.

Lungi Ngidi to Matthew Forde, Fuller, on the fifth stump, Matthew Forde lunges and drives it through cover to take a single.

Lungi Ngidi to Matthew Forde, Lungi Ngidi bends his back and offers a bouncer, wide outside off. Matthew Forde stands tall and tries to slap it away, but gets beaten on the outside edge.

It's all going south for the Windies here. Matthew Forde walks out to bat now.

Lungi Ngidi to Rovman Powell, OUT! CAUGHT! Lungi Ngidi strikes on his return to the attack. South Africa continue to chip away at the wickets. Ngidi lands it on a short of a length, outside off. Cross-seam delivery that nips back a bit into the right-hander. Powell stands tall to thrash it through the off side. He picks the bones out of it but fails to find the gap. Rovman picks out Dewald Brevis at cover, who bends and takes a sharp grab around his right shoulder in reverse cup style. Third wicket for Ngidi.

Lungi Ngidi to Jason Holder, Back of a length, just outside off, Jason Holder takes a step across the stumps and rolls his wrists to flick it through square leg. Single taken.

Keshav Maharaj to Jason Holder, Short, on off, Jason Holder nudges it to deep square leg for a single.

Keshav Maharaj to Jason Holder, SIX! Up, up and over! Tossed up, fuller, with some flight on offer, on off. Jason Holder clears his front foot and lofts it over the long off fence for half a dozen.

Keshav Maharaj to Rovman Powell, Pitches it up, does Maharaj, on middle. Rovman Powell eases it to long on for another single.

Keshav Maharaj to Jason Holder, Fullish, on middle and leg, Jason Holder tucks it through mid-wicket for one run.

Keshav Maharaj to Rovman Powell, Flat and fuller, on middle, Rovman Powell lunges and works it with soft hands to the vacant mid-wicket region to get a single.

Keshav Maharaj to Rovman Powell, Short, on off, Rovman Powell hangs on his back foot and dabs it to cover.

Will we see some spin now? Yes, we will. Keshav Maharaj comes back into the attack. He went for 17 runs in his first over.

Corbin Bosch to Jason Holder, Wide outside off this time, a touch fuller. Jason Holder attempts to steer it to third man but misses the connection.

Corbin Bosch to Jason Holder, Good-length delivery, angling in, on off. Jason Holder defends it to the cover region.

Corbin Bosch to Jason Holder, Pitches it hard, on a length, does Bosch, on off. Jason Holder gets behind the line and defends it down the track.

West Indies have lost half their side for 60. Jason Holder is the next batter in.

Corbin Bosch to Sherfane Rutherford, OUT! CAUGHT BEHIND! Corbin Bosch fights back. Sherfane Rutherford tries to repeat the dose, but it does not come off for him this time. Bosch hits the hard length and keeps the line around the off pole. Sherfane swivels to unleash the pull but is cramped for room and he cannot swing his arms in the desired fashion. Moreover, he is rushed, and the ball is skied off the upper half of the blade. The keeper, Quinton de Kock, settles under it and does the rest.

Corbin Bosch to Sherfane Rutherford, SIX! BANG! This one is fuller, on off, Sherfane Rutherford swings his arms and heaves it across the line, over the deep square leg fence, which is also the shorter side, to get six more runs.

Corbin Bosch to Sherfane Rutherford, Good-length delivery, angling across the stumps. Sherfane Rutherford punches it toward the right of the sweeper cover fielder for a couple of runs.

DRINKS! You won't see such a chaotic, yet entertaining start to a match. We have had everything so far. The first 2 overs went for 29 runs, but then South Africa struck back, taking 4/14 despite dropping a couple of catches. West Indies are in a tough spot here, and this pair of Sherfane Rutherford and Rovman Powell need to take this game deep, as they still have a lot of firepower left in the tank. South Africa will want to just keep the pressure on the batters and not give away anything loose, keep picking up wickets, and they will have a real chance of getting the Windies bowled out cheaply. Also, Corbin Bosch is to bowl after the break.

Marco Jansen to Rovman Powell, FOUR! Put away! Overpitched delivery around off. Rovman Powell leans onto his drive and creams it between extra cover and mid off for a boundary. West Indies end the Powerplay on 52/4.

Marco Jansen to Rovman Powell, Into the surface, over middle. Powell stands tall and keeps it out.

Marco Jansen to Rovman Powell, Fuller and on off, Rovman pushes it to cover.

Marco Jansen to Sherfane Rutherford, PUT DOWN! That should have been taken. Hands on head for Lungi Ngidi. Jansen bowls it on a hard length, over off. Rutherford hops and arches back a touch to use the pace on the ball. He opens the bat face and glides it uppishly to short third, where Ngidi leaps and gets both hands over his head, but he cannot jump high enough. The ball clips his fingertips and goes behind. Ngidi turns around, but the ball drops to the ground by then and away from his reach. They cross.

Marco Jansen to Sherfane Rutherford, Jansen goes slightly wide on the crease, in and around the off pole. Sherfane rises with the bounce and taps it to backward point.

Marco Jansen to Sherfane Rutherford, Serves it on a good length, on off and middle. Sherfane dabs it down on the off side.

Kagiso Rabada to Rovman Powell, This is on the fuller side, on off and middle. Powell brings his bat out in front and defends it solidly.

Kagiso Rabada to Sherfane Rutherford, On top of off, on a good length, Sherfane punches it to the right of backward point and crosses over.

Kagiso Rabada to Sherfane Rutherford, From around the wicket, on top of off, Rutherford gets on top of the bounce and keeps it out.

Kagiso Rabada to Sherfane Rutherford, Across off, on a short of a length, Sherfane stays back and plays it behind point for a couple of runs.

Kagiso Rabada to Sherfane Rutherford, Good-length ball, on middle. Sherfane Rutherford blocks it out watchfully.

Kagiso Rabada to Rovman Powell, Rabada bowls it full, around off, Rovman presses forward and steers it to deep third for a single.

Number 4 goes down for the Windies. Sherfane Rutherford joins Rovman Powell out in the middle. This will be the key partnership for them if they want to get to a good score.

Lungi Ngidi to Roston Chase, OUT! DRAGGED ON! Lungi Ngidi says to Kagiso Rabada, if you can strike twice in an over, I can do just as well. Ngidi bashes the surface and bowls it on a hard length, on off. Chase stands tall on his toes and gets his hands high to punch it away. He plays it with an angled bat. The ball cuts back in off the deck to take the inside edge before deflecting back onto the stumps. Quite an eventful start to the game. Wickets, fours, sixes, dropped catches, we have had everything in the first 4 overs. West Indies are 4 down for 43.

Lungi Ngidi to Roston Chase, Angled into the right-hander, on a good length, Chase turns it off the pads through square leg for a couple of runs.

It is all happening here in Ahmedabad. Dropped catches, boundaries, but West Indies are also three down inside the Powerplay now. Roston Chase comes out to the middle. Two slips in place as well.

Lungi Ngidi to Brandon King, OUT! EDGED AND GONE! Lungi Ngidi corrects his line and strikes. Ngidi goes wide on the crease and brings the line closer to the off stump. On a short of a length, just outside the off pole. King hangs back to deal with it, but the ball lands and nips away enough to take the outside edge. The keeper, Quinton de Kock gobbles it up. Ngidi turns around and points at his captain at mid off, as if saying - I told you.

Lungi Ngidi to Brandon King, FOUR! More of a horizontal bat this time but the result is the same. Ngidi offers width again, on a short of a length. King stands tall and punches it through covers for a four.

Lungi Ngidi to Brandon King, FOUR! A quality shot! On a good length, fractionally wide, King extends his hands and plays it on the up. Threads it in the gap between cover and point for a four.

Lungi Ngidi to Rovman Powell, Outside off, on a good length, Powell glides it with an open bat face to deep third and gets to the other end.

So, a double strike from Kagiso Rabada in the last over and South Africa will be feeling a lot more relieved. Here is Lungi Ngidi to bowl now.

Kagiso Rabada to Rovman Powell, On top of off, Rovman watchfully angles it in front of point and takes a single to open his account.

The next batter is...Rovman Powell.

Kagiso Rabada to Shimron Hetmyer, OUT! CAUGHT! Taken this time and the dropped catch does not cost South Africa much. Corbin Bosch will be a relieved man. Two wickets in the over for Rabada. Angling across off, on a back of a length. Hetmyer has a jab at it off the back foot. He fails to get the timing right and it is mistimed uppishly to mid-wicket. Keshav Maharaj, standing on the edge of the ring, moves to his right and takes the catch at head height.

Kagiso Rabada to Shimron Hetmyer, On middle and leg, on a length, Hetmyer defends it out.

Kagiso Rabada to Shimron Hetmyer, DROPPED! Shimron Hetmyer gets a lifeline on the very first ball. Hettie had given up. This is pitched up by Rabada, on middle. Shimron gets his hands through the line and goes for the lofted drive. He just checks his shot and it goes to mid on, where Corbin Bosch is late to react. He thinks he can grab it over his head without having to move. The ball keeps rising and Bosch has to leap to take the catch. The ball clips his fingertips and goes behind for a couple of runs.

Proteas strike back here. Shimron Hetmyer walks out to bat at number 3.

Kagiso Rabada to Shai Hope, OUT! CAUGHT BEHIND! The edge is found this time. Kagiso Rabada strikes with his second ball. Wobble seam delivery, on a back of a length, outside off. Hope gets on his toes to ride the bounce and punch it away on the off side. The ball nips away with a bit of extra bounce. It grazes the outside edge and the keeper, Quinton de Kock, makes no mistake. Rabada is lucky that the ball did not go to slip as the man there had just been moved out before this ball.

Kagiso Rabada to Shai Hope, Beats the bat! In the channel, on a good length, Shai pushes away from his body and is beaten on the outside edge.

Pace from both ends now as Kagiso Rabada replaces Keshav Maharaj.

Marco Jansen to Brandon King, On a good length, on middle, King taps it back on the strip. 12 runs off Jansen's first over.

Marco Jansen to Brandon King, FOUR MORE! Streaky this time! Jansen digs it in short, over off and middle. Brandon swivels on the back foot for the pull but fails to get on top of the bounce. The ball climbs on the batter to catch a top edge and it flies over the keeper's head for another four.

Marco Jansen to Brandon King, FOUR! A loose delivery and King cashes in! Too straight, at the hips, on a back of a length. Brandon hangs on the back foot and nurdles it fine of the man at deep square leg for four more.

Marco Jansen to Brandon King, Good comeback! Pushed across off, full in length. King pushes out in front of his body and is beaten as the ball leaves him with the angle.

Marco Jansen to Brandon King, FOUR! Easily done! A bit of shape back into the right-hander, on the fuller side, Brandon brings his wrists into play and flicks it between mid-wicket and mid on for a four.

Marco Jansen to Brandon King, On leg, on a length, King dabs it down on the leg side.

The plan to go with Keshav Maharaj almost worked out for South Africa. It will be Marco Jansen to bowl from the other end.

Keshav Maharaj to Shai Hope, SIX! Taken by Dewald Brevis, but he runs with the ball into the boundary cushions. 17 runs off the first over. A great start for West Indies. Maharaj drops it short, on middle. Hope presses on the back foot, clears the front leg and plays the pull. Hits it aerially to deep mid-wicket, where Brevis runs to his left and takes the catch in reverse cup style over his head. He cannot slam the brakes and cannot release the ball before going over the ropes. Keshav Maharaj is not happy one bit.

Keshav Maharaj to Shai Hope, Flatter and shorter, on off, Shai slaps it to cover-point.

Keshav Maharaj to Shai Hope, FOUR! Lovely! This is floated up, fuller and on the off stump, Hope makes room and opens up the front hip. He extends his hands and carves it over cover for a boundary.

Keshav Maharaj to Shai Hope, SIX! Shai Hope is up and running! Darted in at 86.6 kph, a bit too short, on middle. Hope picks up the length early, goes deep in the crease and pummels it over mid on for a biggie.

Keshav Maharaj to Brandon King, Angled in at the hips, shorter now, Brandon nudges it to mid-wicket and takes a single to get off the mark.

Keshav Maharaj to Brandon King, Begins from around the wicket, fractionally short, around the off stump. King punches it from the crease to cover.

Done with the pre-match formalities! The Proteas spread out under the hot sun and take up the fielding positions. Brandon King and Shai Hope are the two openers for West Indies. We will see spin straightaway as Keshav Maharaj has the new ball in hand. Let's play...

It is time for the unfurling of the flags of both countries. Now we see players from both sides make their way out to the middle and line up for their respective national anthems. It will be South Africa's first, followed by that of West Indies.

PITCH REPORT - Former West Indies leggie, Samuel Badree, is pitchside. He says that it is quite hot out there and the temperature will remain around the mid 30s. Adds that if you are bowling from the North End, the square boundaries are 60 and 70 meters, while the straight hit is 72 meters. Former South African fast bowler, Shaun Pollock, joins him and says that it is a red soil pitch, so we can expect steeper bounce and a bit of turn as well. Shares that 53 per cent of wickets for the pacers have come on slower balls, and he expects that trend to continue here.

We would have bowled first as well - The skipper of West Indies, Shai Hope starts off by saying that they wanted to bowl first as well, but he thinks his team will do just as fine while batting first. Continues that they have one change in the playing XI with Roston Chase coming in for Akeal Hosein. Adds that it is a tactical change because of the opposition and the conditions. Ends up saying that they have to play their best cricket today, and he hopes that their momentum carries forward as well.

Execution is key - South Africa's captain, Aiden Markram says that it looks like a good wicket. Adds that they have played here one or two games ago and he hopes that the moisture on the pitch settles down and makes batting easier later. Mentions that they have been lucky to play a few games here, but every wicket has been different, the one they played against India was completely different from this one. Tells that it all comes down to execution at the end. Markram shares that Rabada has been leading from the front. His contributions are not only limited to the numbers, but behind the scenes, he brings value and experience, and also playing here in IPL helps a bit as well. Informs that they are unchanged.

South Africa (Unchanged Playing XI) - Aiden Markram (C), Quinton de Kock (WK), Ryan Rickelton, Dewald Brevis, David Miller, Tristan Stubbs, Marco Jansen, Corbin Bosch, Kagiso Rabada, Keshav Maharaj and Lungi Ngidi.

West Indies (Playing XI) - Shai Hope (C/WK), Brandon King, Shimron Hetmyer, Rovman Powell, Sherfane Rutherford, Roston Chase (In for Akeal Hosein), Jason Holder, Romario Shepherd, Matthew Forde, Gudakesh Motie and Shamar Joseph.

TOSS - Time for the flip of the coin. Aiden Markram and Shai Hope are present in the centre. 'Tails' is the call from Markram, and he gets it right. South Africa elect to BOWL first.

What it means for the other two teams - India and Zimbabwe, both bruised from their opening Super 8 defeats, do not currently have qualification in their hands. That, however, could change within a few hours. If South Africa win today, India will know that victories in their remaining two matches will be enough to see them through. Similarly, if the West Indies prevail, Zimbabwe will have a clear equation. Two wins from their remaining games would send the Chevrons into the semi-finals without worrying about net run rate. That makes it clear where loyalties will lie in this afternoon's clash. Stick around for the toss and team news.

Battle of the unbeaten - Neither South Africa nor the West Indies have lost a match at this World Cup, which makes this contest even more compelling. Their emphatic wins in the Super 8s opener mean that a victory today would put the victor within touching distance of a semi-final berth. The West Indies hold a slight edge thanks to a formidable net run rate of +5.350, while South Africa are not far behind with a NRR of +3.8.

Greetings, all - Welcome to an important day in the race for the semi-finals in Group 1. Two pivotal games are lined up, and both carry significant weight in shaping the path to the last four. First up, it is South Africa taking on the West Indies in Ahmedabad, before we head south to Chennai, where India and Zimbabwe lock horns later in the day.

... MATCH DAY ...

High stakes showdown - The second round of fixtures in Group 1 kicks off with South Africa taking on the West Indies at Ahmedabad's Narendra Modi Stadium. Two teams that began their Super 8 campaign with statement wins will now look to take a decisive step towards the semi-finals. Fortress Ahmedabad - Ahmedabad has turned into quite the fortress for the Proteas. The 2024 runners-up look determined to go all the way this time after the heartbreak in Barbados. Unbeaten so far, four of South Africa's five games have come at this venue, and they have made it their stronghold. The win over reigning champions India would have injected enormous belief into the side. Different individuals have stepped up at different times, with David Miller, Dewald Brevis and Tristan Stubbs making telling contributions against India. Their top three, though, have been slightly inconsistent. Ryan Rickelton and Quinton de Kock are yet to fully hit their stride, while Aiden Markram has been the more consistent presence at the top. With the ball, Marco Jansen and Lungi Ngidi have led the pace attack and compensated for the underwhelming returns from Kagiso Rabada, who has just two wickets in five games with a strike rate of 59, the worst among the Proteas bowlers. Corbin Bosch and Keshav Maharaj have chipped in as well, and alongside Markram, Maharaj will have a key role to play in the spin department. Caribbean charge - West Indies lead the standings in Group 1 after a thumping 107-run win over Zimbabwe in Mumbai and have carried that momentum from the group stage into the Super 8s. Confidence is high, and their net run rate boost has put them in a strong position early in this phase. The Men in Maroon have never played a T20I in Ahmedabad. That unfamiliarity could be a factor, and they will have to lean on the experience of players who have played at this venue in the IPL. There remains a concern at the top of the order, with Brandon King yet to make a truly impactful contribution. However, the middle order has fired consistently enough to ensure it has not hampered their campaign. Is it time for Johnson Charles to come in for King? Over his career, he has enjoyed success against South Africa, and his highest T20I score of 118 came against the Proteas. One of the big positives for the Caribbean side after their previous win was Rovman Powell getting crucial runs under his belt. In the spin department, Gudakesh Motie has been among the standouts. Fellow left-arm finger spinner Akeal Hosein also had a good day out against Zimbabwe, which are encouraging signs heading into this clash. On the pace bowling front, it has been a collective effort. Jason Holder, Matthew Forde, Romario Shepherd and Shamar Joseph have all contributed at different stages, giving the West Indies variety and depth with the ball. Form (Last 5 completed T20Is, most recent first) - South Africa - WWWWW | West Indies - WWWWW. What to expect? Ahmedabad has hosted five games so far at this World Cup, but this will be the first afternoon fixture with a 3 pm start. The heat will be a major factor early on, with both sides having to manage the conditions before temperatures ease a bit after sunset. With dew not being a factor, the toss may not carry as much weight as it does in evening matches. There is also recent history between these two sides. Just before the start of the World Cup, they faced off in a T20I series in South Africa, which the hosts won 2-1. In T20 World Cup meetings, the Proteas have had the upper hand, winning four out of five clashes, including the last two. All signs point to a fiercely contested afternoon in Ahmedabad. Who are you rooting for?