Quinton de Kock's Explosive 74 Sets Up South Africa's Victory Over USA in T20 World Cup Super Eight Opener
South Africa Dominates with Bat and Ball to Start Super Eight Stage Strongly
In the first game of the T20 World Cup Super Eight stage, South Africa demonstrated their strength by defeating the USA by 18 runs here on Wednesday.
With a rapid 74 off 40 balls, Quinton de Kock gave South Africa the momentum to set the formidable 195-run target for the United States. They didn't appear to be in the chase, and their aspirations were dashed by frequent wicket losses.
The USA appeared to be out of the game at 76/5 in the 12th over, but opener Andries Gous and Harmeet Singh rallied the team with a 91-run partnership off 43 balls for the sixth wicket.
Harmeet was caught in deep off the first delivery of the 19th over for 38 off 22 balls, leaving the USA needing 28 from the final two overs. With just two runs conceded in that over by Kagiso Rabada (3/18), South Africa never looked back.
Gous scored 80 runs off 47 balls without losing, five boundaries, and as many sixes.
Against all odds, De Kock brought up his maiden fifty in the tournament and put the USA bowlers to shame on a field that was predicted to be sluggish and spin-friendly.
After the front-line batsmen collapsed as a unit during the group stage, South Africa was able to overcome their problems with the top order thanks to the explosive play of De Kock and the economical 46 of captain Aiden Markram.
Heinrich Klaasen (36 not out) and Tristan Stubbs (20 not out) put up 53 in the final five overs in an uninterrupted fifth wicket stand.
After a timid start, De Kock spearheaded South Africa's charge, scoring 110 runs in 60 balls with Markram for the second wicket.
This came after Corey Anderson caught Reeza Hendricks mishitting a slower shot from Saurabh Netravalkar.
Then De Kock turned the tables on the opponents. He reached his fifty off 26 balls by taking advantage of every length error made by the USA bowlers.
Quick scores: Aiden Markram 46, Henrich Klaasen 36 not out, Quinton de Kock 74, SA 194/4. USA 176/6 (Kagiso Rabada 3/18, Harmeet Singh 38, Andries Gous 80 n.o. SA prevailed by eighteen runs.
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