South Africa beat USA by 18 runs: T20 World Cup 2024 Super Eights – updates

That’s it from our live coverage of USA against South Africa in the Super Eight stage of the T20 World Cup.

The Proteas make it five wins from five in the competition to this stage, but USA were in with a chance of another upset.

Our attention switches to holders England against the other co-hosts, West Indies, in a few hours’ time.

Do join us for that one if you can.

For now, though – from me, Kevin Hand – it’s goodbye!

“Gous played really well and pushed us close,” Markram said. “We were happy with the performance and could have tidied up for a more comprehensive result.

“We had a nice start but the wicket changes and you saw it with us ([batting]. The wicket got slower and with those two things together it may explain why we finished like that.

“It was nice from de Kock to get his flow and everyone else chip in. It was good for us moving forward in the competition.

“As a whole our plans were good and a couple of executions may have let us down but on a good wicket, I think, the bowlers did a good job.”

“It’s hard to take the defeat after getting so close but I don’t want to say disappointed,” Jones said at the post-match ceremony.

“I think we could have bowled better. We have a lot of talent and if we play well we can beat any time in the world.

“We need to be a lot more disciplined. If a few people were we would have got over the line.

“We are just going to play fearless and hard cricket every game and hope we come out on top.”

Our T20 World Cup attention turns to England against West Indies with the Al Jazeera coverage starting at 8:30pm local time (00:30 GMT).

“It was nice getting runs on a decent wicket finally,” the Proteas opener told the ICC broadcast after his 74. “We’ve had some tricky wickets coming up to this game so it was to be out there.

Just trying to focus on scoring runs, rest will take care of itself.

“The boys played well but so did USA and it was a great game.

“We’ve still got a couple more games to win, especially the next couple of games – we have some big teams (England and West Indies) coming up.”

The Proteas had huge concerns about the batting coming into this match after a poor performance in the group stage.

Had the batters not fired in this one, then there is no doubt USA would have produced another upset.

That was a brilliant performance by USA against another of world cricket’s powerhouses.

An over or two, here or there, and that could have been very different at the end.

USA finish on 176-6 with Gous 80* – a remarkable innings.

Gous pushes a yorker back to Nortje and South Africa have the win barring a mistake by the seamer.

Twenty-four to win off four.

Gous pushes one into the off side off Nortjeand – the game is surely up.

Gous will have strike for the final over, but it’s surely too much. Only two singles followed the wicket; 26 needed.

The left-hander clips Rabada to Stubbs at deep square and falls for 33.

Now, 28 needed from 11. Jasdeep is the new batter.

Gous gets in on the act as he pulls Shamsi’s fifth ball for six – then the last ball goes for six more in the same manner. That’s 22 off the over and 28 needed from 12 balls!

Shamsi is slapped over wide long-on for six by Harmeet off the fourth ball before the spinner follows with a wide. This is Harmeet’s highest score as he moves to 37*.

Two dot balls start the 18th over followed by a single. USA couldn’t afford this.

Rabada ends the over with a wide, which Gous takes for a single with the following ball -10 off the over and 50 needed from 18 balls.

Rabada sends down a waist high full toss with the first ball but the free-hit only results in a single. The third ball of the over is punished for four by Harmeet, however.

Shamsi gets out of the over with three singles. USA need 60 from 24 – one big over could tighten this up.

Harmeet pulls a short ball from Shamsi over deep midwicket before taking a single and watching Gous hit the third ball of the over back over the bowler’s head for four.