T20 WORLD CUP | South Africa’s team effort shades Raza’s individual brilliance for Zimbabwe

South Africa’s collective might trumped Zimbabwe skipper Sikandar Raza’s individual brilliance on a hot Sunday afternoon at the Arun Jaitley Stadium here.

In their final Super Eight fixture of the 2026 T20 World Cup, the Proteas chased down 154 with five wickets in hand to maintain their perfect record in the competition. Aiden Markram and Co. will take on New Zealand in the semifinals in Kolkata on Wednesday.

Zimbabwe captain Sikandar Raza Butt celebrates the wicket of South African batsman Dewald Brevis during the T20 World Cup match at the Arun Jaitley Cricket stadium in New Delhi on March 01, 2026.
| Photo Credit:
R.V. MOORTHY

Raza, who will turn 40 in April, was peerless on the day. After hammering 73 off 43 balls, he also snared three scalps with his off-breaks. Having taken the new ball, he induced Quinton de Kock’s edge in the very first over, and castled Markram with a ball that kept a tad low in the third over.

When Ryan Rickelton miscued a pull off Brad Evans to Ryan Burl at long-on in the sixth over, South Africa was in a spot of bother at 43 for three.

South African batsman Dewald Brevis plays a shot during the T20 World Cup match at the Arun Jaitley cricket stadium in New Delhi on March 01, 2026.
| Photo Credit:
R.V. MOORTHY

But Dewald Brevis and David Miller brought a degree of comfort to the chase by adding 50 off 25 balls for the fourth wicket. Brevis’ strokes were laced with quintessential flamboyance, smashing as many as four sixes in his 18-ball 42.

While the dismissals of Miller and Brevis in quick succession added a layer of intrigue to the climax, Tristan Stubbs and George Linde ensured there were no further hiccups.

Earlier, Raza was at the front and centre of Zimbabwe’s total of 153 for seven. Even as wickets fell frequently at the other end, the 39-year-old continued to play with abandon until his dismissal in the 17th over.

South African batsman Tristan Stubbs plays a shot during the T20 World Cup match against Zimbabwe at the Arun Jaitley cricket stadium in New Delhi on March 01, 2026.
| Photo Credit:
R.V. MOORTHY

Having walked in to bat when Zimbabwe was 28 for two in the fifth over, he pounced particularly when the South African pacers erred on the shorter side. He galloped to his half-century off 29 balls, but negligible support from the rest meant it was all in vain.

The 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 (Ryan Rickelton 31, Dewald Brevis 42, George Linde 30 n.o., Sikandar Raza 3/29).

Toss: Zimbabwe; PoM: Raza.