T20 World Cup: South Africa overcome Sikandar Raza show to enter semifinals with an all-win record

AS IT HAPPENED | SOUTH AFRICA VS ZIMBABWE T20 WORLD CUP 2026 SUPER 8 MATCH HIGHLIGHTS

Zimbabwe may have proven to be unexpected giant-killers in the group stage, slaying Australia and Sri Lanka early on, but their challenge fizzled in the Super 8s. Still, they made sure not to leave these shores without putting up a fight, Sunday’s battle spearheaded by a five-star showing by their skipper Sikandar Raza.

In limited overs cricket, the Kotla pitch has lately built a reputation as being a bit of a belter, with the laying of homogeneous flat tracks at the centre of the ground with small boundaries. But Sunday’s match was played on a used surface that showed characteristics of this ground from back in the day, playing low and slow with the slight grass cover making it tough for the ball to come onto the bat easily.

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South Africa’s crafty pace contingent made the best of the conditions. As they have done throughout this tournament, they used the pace-off ploy by employing varying lengths with slower deliveries, to stifle the batters’ momentum. With Marco Jansen and Kagiso Rabada rested, Kwena Maphaka and Lungi Ngidi made sure the Zimbabwean batting line-up couldn’t stitch partnerships. No batsman got going, with the exception of a brilliant 43-ball 73 from Raza.

Captain fantastic

At 39, Raza’s vast franchise league experience showed here as his reading of the pitch and the opposition bowling was a class apart from his teammates. He hit straight and flat when the bowlers banged in a tad too short, and didn’t let himself get outfoxed by the slower, fuller cutters. His 12 boundaries, including four sixes, were instrumental in taking Zimbabwe to a fighting total, but their inability to score adequately at the death after his dismissal – managing only 27 runs from the last 21 balls – meant their total of 153 was well short of a par score.

Zimbabwe skipper Sikandar Raza scored a fifty and picked up three wickets against South Africa. (PHOTO: AP)

Yet the fight continued for the next half hour, and was once again led by the Zimbabwe skipper. Raza has built a reputation as something of a mystery spinner, his off-spin and variations drawing vague comparisons with Sunil Narine. It proved to be canny early on. A slow turner caught Quinton de Kock’s edge after which a wobbly carrom-ball stayed devilishly low to send Aiden Markram’s stumps tumbling, leaving South Africa at 18/2 by the third over.

But tactical foresight and force of will can only do so much. The pure batting might of the Proteas shone through. First, Ryan Rickelton broke the shackles and then Dewald Brevis and David Miller stabilised proceedings before taking the Zimbabwean bowling to the cleaners, tonking a combined five sixes and four fours in a 50-run stand that left the Chevrons with too little to defend in the latter half of the innings.

There was reason to be cheerful though: another wicket apiece for Raza and Blessing Muzarabani, who joined Ngidi at the top of the wicket-taking charts for this tournament so far. Zimbabwe didn’t cause an outright surprise but made a statement about their ambitions after this tournament. South Africa did the same, but about their ambitions going ahead in this tournament.

Brief Scores: Zimbabwe 153/7 in 20 overs (Sikandar Raza 73; Kwena Maphaka 2/21, Corbin Bosch 2/40) lost to South Africa 154/5 in 17.5 overs (Dewald Brevis 42; Ryan Rickelton 31; Raza 3/29) by five wickets.

Namit Kumar is a Senior Sports Correspondent for The Indian Express, based in New Delhi. He is known for his versatile reporting across several major sports disciplines. Professional Profile Specializations: He covers a wide variety of sports including tennis, football, cricket, and motorsports. Focus: His writing often delves into the finer details and technical analysis of the sports he covers. Social Media: You can find him on X (formerly Twitter) at @namitkumar_17. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) Namit’s recent work focuses heavily on international cricket series and domestic tournaments, as well as high-profile global tennis events: International Cricket (India vs South Africa Series): "Intelligence, skill, and heart: How Arshdeep Singh took out Reeza Hendricks" (Dec 15, 2025) — A detailed analysis of Arshdeep's tactical comeback in the T20I series. "How India's seamers froze South Africa in chilly Dharamshala" (Dec 14, 2025). "Why India's T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav and vice-captain Shubman Gill losing form, is the start of a blunt headache" (Dec 12, 2025) — An analytical piece on the statistics and form of India's leadership duo. "Quinton de Kock dismantles Indian bowling combination with silent savagery" (Dec 11, 2025). Domestic Cricket (Ranji Trophy): "Ranji Trophy: J&K conquer Kotla and Delhi for first time" (Nov 11, 2025) — Reporting on the historic first win for Jammu & Kashmir over Delhi in the tournament's history. "What makes J&K pacer Auqib Nabi special" (Nov 8, 2025) — A profile on the pacer's accuracy and swing. "Unearthing the next Virat Kohli still a while away but Delhi's young batting talent full of promise" (Oct 24, 2025). Tennis and Golf: "Jannik Sinner's winter-time madness: How Italian refined his game to beat Alcaraz" (Nov 17, 2025) — A deep dive into Sinner’s technical improvements following his US Open loss. "Everyone's come to watch Rory McIlroy but keep an eye out for 'people's champion' Tommy Fleetwood" (Oct 17, 2025). Football Tactics: "Why are long throw-ins giving football defenders and lawmakers a headache?" (Nov 2, 2025) — An analytical piece on the evolving strategies surrounding throw-ins in modern football. Reporting Style Namit is active in covering the Delhi sports scene, providing detailed match reports for international cricket matches and Ranji Trophy fixtures at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. He also provides on-the-ground reporting for happenings in the city, such as his recent coverage of the DP World India Championship golf event. Additionally, he actively writes on tennis, analysing matches and reporting on major events, especially during the Grand Slam tournaments. ... Read More

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