South Africa surpasses West Indies to reach the semi-finals of the World Cup

South Africa held their nerve to beat the West Indies by three wickets using the Duckworth-Lewis method in a rain-affected shootout for a semi-final spot at the Twenty20 World Cup in Antigua on Sunday.

The unbeaten Proteas joined England in the last four as winners of Group 2 when Marco Jansen (21 not out) hit a ground six from the first ball of the final to take South Africa to their adjusted target of 123.

Left-arm spinner Tabraiz Shamsi had earlier taken 3-27 as the tournament’s co-hosts West Indies were restricted to 135-8 before the rain storm halted play.

Spinner Roston Chase (3-12) took three wickets late in the South African innings to set up a dramatic finish and provide a glimmer of hope that the West Indies could keep their quest for a third title alive.

“There is a lot of relief to finally get through to the semi-finals,” said South Africa captain Aiden Markram.

“I guess that’s been the story of our (tournament): putting ourselves in tough positions and kind of getting across the line by hook or by crook.”

The other two semi-finalists will be decided on Monday when India and Australia will meet in St Lucia and Afghanistan will take on Bangladesh in St Vincent in the last two matches of the Super Eight stage.

The South Africans won the toss and opted to bowl first in a decision that was quickly vindicated when danger men Shai Hope and Nicholas Pooran were dismissed within the first two overs with just five runs on the board.

Kyle Mayers, added to the West Indies squad on Saturday as an injury replacement, steadied the innings in a partnership of 81 for the third wicket with Chase.

Both had some fraught moments – Chase was dropped on 11 and Mayers survived an lbw call on review – before Shamsi separated them in the 12th when Mayers hit the ball to Tristan Stubbs at deep cover point to depart to 35.

That was the last partnership of note in an inning of fits and starts, with Chase (52) and Sherfane Rutherford (0) falling victim to Shamsi’s wrist twist, and Andre Russell hitting a pair of big sixes before being bowled out for 15.

West Indies knew they were under-par and needed a big bowling effort, and Russell got them off to a great start.

He struck with the first delivery of the innings to remove Reeza Hendricks behind leg side before getting the other South African opener, Quinton de Kock, caught at backward square leg five deliveries later.

The crowd at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium came alive, but any momentum the West Indies had built up was lost as the heavens immediately opened and the game was postponed for 90 minutes.

Stubbs and Markram resumed at 15-2 to take the total to 42 before local quick Alzarri Joseph struck with his second delivery to remove the captain for 18.

Joseph’s pace did it for Heinrich Klaasen (22) in the eighth over, but the other West Indian bowlers proved costly and the South Africans were now just a run-a-ball away from their target.

Chase came on in the 12th over to bowl David Miller for four and then sent back Stubbs (29) and Keshav Maharaj (2) to ensure the chase continued to the 17th and the final over.

“I think the boys should get credit, I think they fought till the end,” West Indies skipper Rovman Powell said.

“As a batting group, this is an achievement we will try to forget. It was a commendable bowling performance, we said we would just give it our all and whatever happens, happens.”