US EditionProteas' T20 World Cup Semi-Final Loss Was Like 'a Slap in the Face', Says Captain Aiden Markram
Finn Allen scored an unbeaten 100 in 33 balls, helping New Zealand chase 170 in 12.5 overs and reach the 2026 T20 World Cup final with a nine-wicket win.
- On Wednesday, March 4, Finn Allen, New Zealand batter, hit an unbeaten 100 from 33 balls at Eden Gardens, leading New Zealand to chase 170 in 12.5 overs for a nine-wicket win over South Africa.
- Recently acquired by Kolkata Knight Riders for Rs 2 crore, Allen credited a five-match India series on black soil as the 'X-factor' that prepared the team.
- Early wickets and lost momentum left South Africa without a foothold, as Tim Seifert made 58 off 33 to support Allen, denying the Proteas any chance.
- The loss ended South Africa's seven-match unbeaten run, with head coach Shukri Conrad rejecting the 'choker' label and calling it a 'bloody walloping' and a 'snotklap'.
- New Zealand will face the India–England semi-final winner with the final set for Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday.
19 Articles
19 Articles
Markram and Conrad confront the reality of a T20 World Cup semi-final thrashing – The Mail & Guardian
Aiden Markram didn’t reach for metaphors of “learning curves” or “silver linings” in the humidity of Eden Gardens on Wednesday night. He went straight for the jugular of the feeling currently hollowed out in the chest of every South African cricket fan. “It’s a big, not slap in the face, but it feels like it,” the Proteas captain admitted, his voice carrying the weight of a campaign that had been flawless until the moment it mattered most. Besid…
Proteas coach: We didn't choke, we got a 'snotklap'
Coming into the first T20 World Cup semi-final on Wednesday, the Proteas were clear favourites, but based on South Africa’s painful history in limited-overs knockout games, it meant cricket fans in Mzansi were always wary of another ‘choke’. Sadly, this word has become the go-to ‘label’ for the Proteas as they continue to crumble under pressure in World Cup playoff games. Truthfully, it was that inability to keep calm and composed in the heat of…
SA Coach Who Wanted India To 'Grovel' Accepts He Got A 'Snotklap' After Humiliating Exit From T20 World Cup 2026
Finn Allen’s century has powered NZ into the T20 World Cup final. He credited a pre-tournament series against India for his preparations, while SA coach Shukri Conrad termed loss a 'bloody walloping.'
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