Holder–Shepherd Revival Lifts West Indies to 176/8 After Early Collapse Against South Africa

Ahmedabad, Feb 2026: A fighting half-century stand from Jason Holder and Romario Shepherd helped West Indies recover from a disastrous start and post a competitive 176/8 in 20 overs against South Africa in their second Super 8s match of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Thursday.

Asked to bat first, West Indies began with positive intent despite the pressure of a high-stakes Super 8s encounter. Captain Shai Hope set the tone in emphatic fashion, taking on South Africa’s premier spinner Keshav Maharaj in the opening over and racing to 16 runs from just four deliveries. The early aggression continued in the second over when Brandon King unleashed three consecutive boundaries against left-arm seamer Marco Jansen, briefly putting the Proteas on the back foot.

However, the momentum swung dramatically in the third over, as pace spearhead Kagiso Rabada turned the game on its head. Rabada removed Hope for a brisk 16 and then dismissed the dangerous Shimron Hetmyer for just two, jolting the West Indies innings. In the process, Rabada climbed to second place on South Africa’s all-time wicket-takers list in T20 World Cups, underlining his impact on the biggest stage.

South Africa tightened the screws further in the following over. Lungi Ngidi struck twice, first sending back King, who had smashed 21 off 11 balls with five fours, and then bowling Roston Chase. At 52/4 by the end of the powerplay, West Indies found themselves in deep trouble.

The slide continued as Corbin Bosch made an immediate impact, dismissing Sherfane Rutherford after conceding a six. Ngidi then returned to account for skipper Rovman Powell in the ninth over, leaving West Indies struggling at 82/6 at the halfway mark. Bosch added to the damage by removing Matthew Forde, and South Africa appeared firmly in control.

Just when the innings seemed destined to fold below par, Holder and Shepherd mounted a superb counterattack. Showing composure and power in equal measure, the experienced duo stitched together a vital 89-run partnership that transformed the innings. Shepherd was particularly destructive at the death, racing to an unbeaten 52 off 37 balls, peppered with three fours and four towering sixes. Holder played the anchor role but also found the boundaries at crucial moments, narrowly missing a well-deserved half-century as he fell for 49.

South Africa’s bowlers were led by Ngidi, who returned impressive figures of 3-30, while Rabada and Bosch chipped in with two wickets apiece. Despite their early dominance, the late surge ensured West Indies finished with a challenging total that kept the contest finely poised heading into the chase.

Brief Scores: West Indies 176/8 in 20 overs (Romario Shepherd 52*, Jason Holder 49; Lungi Ngidi 3-30, Kagiso Rabada 2-22, Corbin Bosch 2-31) vs South Africa.