adminCHITTAGONG. – South Africa produced another clinical performance to beat England by three runs in Chittagong to advance to the World Twenty20 cricket semi-finals on Saturday. AB de Villiers and Hashim Amla hit half-centuries to anchor South Africa’s highest total of the tournament of 196-5 before Wayne Parnell took 3-31 to keep England down to 193-7 at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury stadium.
South Africa are the second team to qualify for the semis after 2007 champions India cruised to the last four from Group Two.
The defeat, their second in three Group One Super-10 matches, sent 2010 champions England out of the semi-final race.
Sri Lanka meet New Zealand in their last Group One match today and the winners will join South Africa in the last four.
De Villiers was happy at the much-needed win.
“It was a great game the boys did extremely well,” said De Villiers, declared man-of-the-match.
“It’s very tough conditions to field in.
“I knew from the start we had to be unpredictable and mix things up. But once again the execution of the bowlers was amazing.”
Stuart Broad said his players were heartbroken.
“It’s a fantastic game, credit to the players for that, we’re heartbroken to come out on the wrong end but AB took the game away from us.
“It didn’t go to plan in the last three overs but apart from that it was a good game for us.” – AFP.
Online Reporter