T20 World Cup: Shepherd, Holder power West Indies to 176/8 against South Africa in Super Eight
Cricket
Shepherd’s unbeaten fifty and Holder’s 49 propel West Indies to 176/8 against South Africa in T20 World Cup Super Eight clash.
AHMEDABAD (Dunya News) – A crucial late partnership between Romario Shepherd and Jason Holder lifted West Indies to a competitive 176 for eight against South Africa in their second Super Eight fixture of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Thursday.
Batting first, West Indies recovered from early setbacks to post a challenging total in their allotted 20 overs. The Caribbean side had started positively but quickly lost momentum as South Africa struck at regular intervals.
Openers Brandon King and captain Shai Hope began aggressively, with boundaries flowing early. The breakthrough came when Hope was dismissed for a brisk 16 off six balls, including one four and two sixes, with Kagiso Rabada ending the 29-run opening stand.
Shimron Hetmyer soon followed for two off three deliveries, also falling to Rabada, leaving West Indies in early trouble at 31 for two in 2.5 overs.
South Africa tightened their grip when Lungi Ngidi removed King for 21 off 11 balls, which featured five fours, and Roston Chase for two. The Caribbean side slipped further when Sherfane Rutherford departed for 12 off 10 balls after being dismissed by Corbin Bosch, reducing them to 60 for five in 6.3 overs.
Rovman Powell’s stay was brief as he managed nine off 11 balls, while Matthew Forde contributed 11 before becoming Bosch’s second wicket of the evening.
With the innings under pressure, Holder and Shepherd launched a recovery, steadily rebuilding before shifting gears. The pair stitched together an important 89-run partnership that revived West Indies’ hopes and pushed the total past the 100-run mark.
The highest eighth-wicket partnership in Men’s T20I history ft. Romario Shepherd and Jason Holder
— ICC (@ICC) February 26, 2026
Watch the highlights of West Indies’ epic comeback https://t.co/3qjsgQ4bue pic.twitter.com/tm9HCdjYRr
Holder fell just short of a half-century, run out after a fluent 49 off 31 balls that included four fours and three sixes. Shepherd, however, carried on the charge and brought up his maiden T20I fifty with a boundary. He remained unbeaten on 52 from 37 deliveries, striking three fours and four sixes to guide West Indies to 176 for eight.
Speaking at the toss, West Indies captain Shai Hope said his side would also have preferred to bowl first. He confirmed one change in the XI, with Roston Chase returning in place of Akeal Hosein, clarifying that the move was made purely based on opposition match-ups rather than form.
South Africa, meanwhile, named an unchanged side, retaining the same XI that secured victory over India in their previous outing.
