South Africa Crush UAE, Enter Super Eights Unbeaten in T20 World Cup

The result also ensured the Proteas advanced to the Super Eights as the lone unbeaten team from their group. South Africa's aggressive approach in the powerplay, where they hit 11 boundaries and a six to reach 58/2, effectively settled the contest.

Though South Africa lost Aiden Markram early after making 28 off just 11 balls, Rickelton steadied the innings with a fluent 30 off 16 balls. Brevis struck a four and three sixes in making 36 off 25 balls, as the Proteas reached the target in 15.4 overs to finish with four wins from as many games in the group stage.

They will next face defending champions India in their opening Super Eights game in Ahmedabad on Sunday. Chasing 123 for victory, South Africa's innings began after a 45-minute rain delay. After Dhruv Parashar kept things tight by conceding only one run in the opening over, Markram broke free by flicking Junaid Siddique for two boundaries before Quinton de Kock thumped him over mid-wicket for the third boundary of the over.

Markram followed it up by taking Haider Ali to cleaners - flicking, cutting, pulling and slicing for three fours and a six. But Haider struck back by drawing Markram to pull and hit top of leg-stump. De Kock then took charge, pulling and cutting Siddique for boundaries to keep the scoreboard ticking. Ryan Rickelton joined in by punching Parashar off the back foot for four and cutting Muhammad Jawadullah twice.

But Jawadullah turned the tide in the fifth over by dismissing de Kock, who sliced to deep backward point. With Rickelton around, Dewald Brevis announced himself with a flurry of strokes - edging Jawadullah for four, and then launching him to the top tier at mid-wicket face for a six that drew gasps in awe from the crowd.

He followed it up with another maximum over extra cover off Haider Ali, while Rickelton pulled and slog-swept Muhammad Farooq for a brace of maximums. Though Rickelton fell when he mistimed a pull to deep square leg off Farooq, Brevis entertained the crowd with a nonchalant smash over long-on fence off Muhammad Arfan, before mistiming a slog to long-off. Tristan Stubbs and Jason Smith knocked off remaining runs to ensure South Africa enter Super Eights with another commanding win.

Brief Scores: UAE 122/6 in 20 overs (Alishan Sharafu 45, Muhammad Waseem 22; Corbin Bosch 3-12, Anrich Nortje 2-28) lost to South Africa 123/4 in 13.2 overs (Dewald Brevis 36, Ryan Rickelton 30; Muhammad Arfan 1-16, Muhammad Farooq 1-19) by six wickets

- IANS