Ahmedabad, India – A blistering innings from captain Aiden Markram propelled South Africa to a dominant seven-wicket victory over New Zealand in a T20 World Cup clash on Sunday. Markram’s unbeaten 86 off just 44 balls, punctuated by four sixes and eight fours, underlined the Proteas’ commanding performance at Narendra Modi Stadium. This win solidifies South Africa’s position in Group D and moves them closer to the Super 8 stage of the tournament.
The victory, witnessed by a crowd exceeding 50,000 – the largest for this year’s World Cup – was built on a strong bowling performance led by Marco Jansen, who claimed 4-40. South Africa efficiently chased down New Zealand’s total of 175-7, finishing at 178-3 with 2.5 overs to spare. This result marks New Zealand’s first defeat in the competition, while South Africa continues its winning streak with three consecutive victories.
Jansen set the tone early, dismissing Tim Seifert for 13, Rachin Ravindra for 13, and Finn Allen for 31 in quick succession. New Zealand found themselves struggling at 64-4 in 6.4 overs before a recovery effort led by Daryl Mitchell (32 off 24 balls) and Mark Chapman (48 off 26 balls), who combined for a 74-run partnership. While, Jansen struck again, removing Chapman, and New Zealand ultimately failed to build a substantial total, finishing at 175-7.
Markram then took center stage, reaching his half-century in just 19 balls – the fastest for South Africa in T20 World Cup history. Milano Cortina 2026 reports that South Africa reached 100 in just 44 balls, demonstrating their aggressive intent. The Proteas captain continued to accelerate, guiding his team to victory with a composed and powerful display of hitting.
England Bounce Back with Win Over Scotland
In Kolkata, England secured a five-wicket win against Scotland, rebounding from a previous loss to the West Indies. Tom Banton’s unbeaten 63 off 41 balls proved crucial as England chased down Scotland’s total of 152. Scotland had earlier reached a promising 90-3 in 10 overs but lost momentum due to mistimed shots against the spin attack. England’s next match is against Italy on Monday.
Adil Rashid (3-36) and Liam Dawson (2-34) were instrumental in restricting Scotland’s late-order scoring, grabbing five wickets in four overs. Fast bowler Jofra Archer also contributed with two wickets, dismissing George Munsey and McMullen. MSN provided live score updates throughout the match.
Ireland Claim First Victory, Oman Eliminated
Earlier in the day, in Colombo, Ireland secured their first win of the tournament with a resounding 96-run victory over Oman. Lorcan Tucker led the charge with an impressive unbeaten 94 off 51 balls, powering Ireland to a tournament-high score of 235-5. Oman were subsequently bowled out for 139, becoming the first team to be eliminated from the T20 World Cup. Paul Stirling was ruled out of the tournament due to a knee injury, with Tucker captaining the side in his absence.
Josh Little’s 3-16 was a standout performance with the ball for Ireland, while Gareth Delany contributed 56 runs and George Dockrell smashed three sixes in a quickfire 35 not out. Aamir Kaleem (50) and Hammad Mirza (46) offered some resistance for Oman, but the team ultimately succumbed to Ireland’s dominant display.
South Africa’s win extends their unbeaten run against New Zealand in T20 World Cups to five matches. The Proteas will look to continue their strong form as the tournament progresses, while New Zealand will aim to recover from this setback in their upcoming matches.
The T20 World Cup continues to deliver exciting contests, and the coming days promise further thrilling encounters as teams battle for a place in the Super 8 stage. Stay tuned for more updates and analysis as the tournament unfolds.
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