All-round South Africa beat USA by 18 runs in Super 8

South Africa beat the United States by 18 runs in the first T20 World Cup Super 8 game in Antigua on Wednesday to move top of Group 2.

After the US won the toss and put South Africa into bat, Quinton de Kock (74) and Aiden Markram (46) cut loose, sharing a 110-run partnership off 60 balls before Heinrich Klaasen’s unbeaten 36 guided them to 194-4.

In response, Steven Taylor (24) set up the platform for the chase and fellow opener Andries Gous (80 not out) provided the fireworks along with Harmeet Singh (38) down the order.

It was close until the 18th over when the US scored 22 runs to keep the game alive but South African fast bowler Kagiso Rabada (3-18) restricted the run rate in the penultimate over and the US fell short.