T20 World Cup: South Africa race to victory over New Zealand as Aiden Markram cruises unbeaten

Vin Allen and Tim Seifert came out of the Black Caps’ opening lineup swinging after their team batted first.

Allen hit four fours and two sixes for his 17-ball 31 before Marko Janssen (4-40) took three wickets in quick succession to get South Africa back into the game.

The seamer returned Seifert for 13 in his first over before dismissing Rachin Ravindra and Allen in the space of four balls in the final over of the powerplay.

Mark Chapman and Darryl Mitchell rebuilt the innings and New Zealand scored around 10 for more than half the innings.

They were 138-5 when Chapman fell on the last ball of the 14th over, having made 48 off 26 balls, with their opponents able to pull it back from there and restrict New Zealand to 175-7.

He looked short over midwicket and within a few balls of reply, that was confirmed.

Markram and de Kock got opening bowlers Matt Henry and Lockie Ferguson from the start, then gave Jacob Duffy the same treatment when he came on.

Ferguson de Kock bowled a slower ball but there was no slowing down the Proteas as Markram continued his attack, first alongside Rickelton and then Dewald Preves, who both made 21 assists.

Markram was able to watch from the non-striker’s end as David Miller finished the job in style – firing Ferguson into the stands for a brutal six.

South Africa will officially qualify for the Super 8 tournament if the United Arab Emirates fail to beat Afghanistan on Monday.