South Africa fire Super Eights warning to India with UAE romp

AFP | New Delhi

Email : editor@newsofbahrain.com

South Africa sent a T20 World Cup warning to cohosts India after romping to a six-wicket win over the United Arab Emirates in New Delhi yesterday.

After restricting the Emiratis to 122-6 on a pitch enlivened by morning rain, South Africa raced to 123-4 in just 13.2 overs to complete a perfect group phase with four wins out of four.

Next up for Aiden Markram’s side is a repeat of the 2024 final against India in Ahmedabad on Sunday in their first match of the Super Eights.

India won the final in Barbados to lift the trophy and are firm favourites to repeat on home soil.

But South Africa have shown they are serious title contenders again, emerging top of a potentially tricky Group D that contained New Zealand and Afghanistan.

There was a nasty moment in the 16th over when the UAE’s Alishan Sharafu was hit flush on the peak of his helmet by a Corbin Bosch bouncer that saw parts of the headgear go flying.

The batsman was cleared to continue after a concussion check and slashed Bosch’s next delivery to deep third man where it fell just short of Anrich Nortje but squirmed under him and went for four.

The moment encapsulated an uncharacteristically sloppy fielding performance by South Africa in the dead-rubber match.

They spilled four straightforward chances in the outfield and Markram acknowledged they will need to be sharper against India.