T20 World Cup 2026: South Africa Top Super 8 Group With Win Over Zimbabwe, Set Up Semi-Final vs New Zealand

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New Delhi, Mar 1: South Africa carried their perfect run into the T20 World Cup 2026 semi-finals with a hard-fought five-wicket win over Zimbabwe in their final Super Eight match, overcoming a spirited all-round effort from Sikandar Raza, who almost single-handedly kept his side in the contest.

Opting to bat first at the Arun Jaitely Stadium, Zimbabwe were largely dependent on their captain as wickets fell regularly against South Africa's pace-heavy attack. Raza produced a sublime 73 off 43 balls, striking boundaries at will while the rest of the batting line-up struggled for fluency. His knock lifted Zimbabwe to a competitive 153 for 7, a total that looked modest but proved tricky on a surface where a few deliveries kept low.

Raza's impact was not limited to the bat. He struck twice in the powerplay to remove Quinton de Kock and Aiden Markram, and later returned to dismiss a rampaging Dewald Brevis, who had threatened to take the game away with a blistering 42 off 18 balls. At 101 for 5 in the 11th over, South Africa were under real pressure, needing another 53 runs with momentum slipping and the pitch offering variable bounce.

Earlier, after losing three wickets inside the powerplay, Brevis and David Miller had counter-attacked with a flurry of boundaries to swing momentum back towards the Proteas. However, Raza's return spell ensured Zimbabwe stayed in the hunt and exposed South Africa's middle order.

The chase was eventually stabilised by Tristan Stubbs (21 off 24)* and *George Linde (31 off 21)**, who showed composure under pressure to guide South Africa home in 17.5 overs. Their unbroken stand steadied the innings after the mini-collapse and ensured the Proteas finished the Super Eight stage unbeaten.

For Zimbabwe, it was a third straight defeat in the Super Eight phase after an impressive group-stage campaign, but Raza's all-round performance stood out as one of the best individual displays of the tournament. He dominated with the bat, delivered crucial breakthroughs with the ball, and kept his team competitive almost single-handedly.

South Africa, meanwhile, advance to a semi-final clash against New Zealand in Kolkata, carrying strong momentum but also aware of the middle-order vulnerabilities exposed during the chase.