Cool South Africa edge out West Indies to enter semi-final of T20 World Cup
North Sound (Antigua) (PTI): South Africa's golden generation of white-ball cricketers took a big step towards erasing the "eternal chokers" tag by keeping their composure to enter the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup, beating a formidable West Indies by three wickets in a thrilling rain-truncated Super 8s game here.
After part-time magician and full-time wrist spinner Tabraiz Shamsi (3/27), along with his slow bowling colleagues Keshav Maharaj (1/24) and skipper Aiden Markram (1/28), restricted West Indies to a manageable 135 for 8, South Africa achieved the revised target of 123 with five balls to spare.
The Proteas were 15/2 in two overs when rain disrupted proceedings.
With this win, South Africa topped Group 1 followed by defending champions England as the second semifinalist from it.
Tristan Stubbs (29 off 27 balls), one of the most talked-about among young T20 batters, set up the chase in company of Heinrich Klaasen (22 off 10 balls) for the South Africans.
But it was Marco Jansen (21 not out off 14 balls), who hit a beautiful six down the ground off the first ball of the 17th over bowled by left-arm pacer Obed McCoy to seal the deal.
Equally praiseworthy was Kagiso Rabada's copybook cover drive off Roston Chase when South Africa required 9 off 7 balls.
"Lot of relief to get through to the semifinal. We would have liked to be a lot more convincing," said South African skipper Aiden Markram.
In a contest that was headlined by the most revered names in T20 history, two under-rated cricketers held forte.
Barbados' Roston Chase (52 and 3/12), who year-after-year goes unsold in the IPL and Jansen, who displayed the less talked-about virtue of composure, much required in down-the-wire chases.
It was an unfair rain-rule in the 1992 ODI World Cup that saw South Africa bow out of the semi-finals against England and often the Proteas found ways to lose important games of cricket.
But on Sunday night in North Sound, the one hour rain delay did a world of good for their batters as the pitch suddenly became better for batting with the ball skidding and coming on easily.
Also unforgettable was how left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie (1/20), lost his length. His only over cost 20 which did contribute a lot to the co-hosts' defeat.
In a game full of T20 prima donnas, it was the Stubbs, Klaasens, Millers and Markrams who had the last laugh over the Andre Russells, Rovman Powells and Nicholas Poorans.
On a track where ball wasn't always coming on to the bat, the South African spin troika was excellent with five wickets shared between Markram, Keshav Maharaj and Shamsi for 79 run in 12 cumulative overs.
Skipper Markram, who opened the bowling did a stellar job by removing opposition's most destructive batter Nicholas Pooran (1), inviting him to go for a heave, only to hole out at long-off.
Kyle Mayers (35 off 34) and West Indies' most useful player across formats -- Roston Chase (52 off 42 balls) -- carried out a commendable rescue act with 81 runs added for the third wicket in little under 11 overs.
At 86 for two, the duo had built the platform for a respectable total with big hitters like Andre Russell and Rovman Powell still in the dug-out but things changed drastically due to the way Shamsi and Maharaj bowled.
Both were not afraid to toss the ball up and entice the batters to go for expansive drives and it did pay dividends.
Maharaj bowled a dream delivery for a classical left-arm spinner to get rid of of West Indies skipper Powell.
Maharaj flighted one above his eyeline, drawing Powell forward but it dipped late and then turned away after pitching only for De Kock to complete the stumping.
Shamsi, at the other end was dead accurate, not trying to turn too much, and pitching his deliveries in the leg-middle line not giving batters room to manoeuvre. Both Mayers and Chase were dismissed trying to free the shackles.
Skipper Markram's planning was impeccable and Kagiso Rabada was only brought into the attack in the 18th over and bowled a couple of overs.
Andre Russell, who hit a couple of sixes off Anrich Nortje, could have inflicted more damage but a direct throw from the bowler during a Rabada over found the all-rounder short of his ground and ended the hosts' chances of crossing the 150-run mark.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Revanth Reddy slams BJP over 'Congress-mukt Bharat' sloganHyderabad, Feb 21 (PTI) Telangana Chief Mi
Hyderabad (PTI): Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Saturday asserted that money is not a priority for Gandhi-Nehru family, saying if the Congress workers pooled funds, they could raise atleast Rs 10,000 crores for the family.
Addressing a training programme organised at Vikarabad near here by AICC for District Congress Committee (DCC) presidents of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, he accused the BJP of "insulting" Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi by levelling allegations of corruption against them.
He also said the family had sacrificed three generations for the nation.
"Along with Congress, if there is any party which has a history of 100 years in the country, it is the CPI. All others came into existence as political parties on the basis of freedom we secured, the Constitution we gave and after we (Congress) strengthened the country. Now, they are becoming dangerous parties by giving the slogan of 'Congress-mukt Bharat."
Describing the Congress as the "soul of India", he said parties like BJP are trying to weaken its legacy.
Questioning the corruption charges against the Gandhi-Nehru family, the CM asked, "Is money a priority for the Gandhi family which sacrificed three generations for the sake of the country?"
According to him, Congress workers in Telangana alone could mobilise Rs 1,000 crores if they chose to do so.
He alleged a conspiracy to silence the Gandhi-Nehru family, claiming that it repesents the Dalits, STs and minorities.
Reddy urged Congress leaders and workers to counter such attempts.
Referring to the freedom movement, he said while the Britishers did not take extreme action against Mahatma Gandhi, those with the ideology that BJP inherited took the life of Father of the Nation soon after Independence.
Highlighting the contributions of Nehru family to the country, he said, "Motilal Nehru donated assets worth thousands of crores to the country and Jawaharlal Nehru spent 10 years in jail" during freedom struggle, while former Prime Ministers Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi sacrificed their lives.
Though Rahul Gandhi inherited such a great legacy, he undertook a 'padayatra' across the nation, Reddy said.
He also said party workers who remained loyal when the Congress was in the opposition have been rewarded with nominated posts and MLA tickets after it came to power.
"You may feel that nobody is observing you. You may feel you will get (ticket to contest) in some quota if you take the support of a leader just before elections. But, there are no quotas now. Only merit quota is there in Congress," he said.
Reddy also urged the DCC presidents to treat their positions with utmost respect, avoid lobbying for various things and focus on people's welfare.
