West Indies strengthened their position in the ongoing tournament with a commanding 55-run victory over South Africa at the High Performance Oval in Windhoek on 22 January, delivering a complete performance with both bat and ball. The win was significant as group-stage results carry over into the Super Six stage, which serves as the qualification round for the semi-finals, making every victory crucial in shaping the path forward in the competition.
Batting first, West Indies posted a competitive 234 all out in 47.5 overs, anchored by a superb innings from Zachary Carter, who struck 114 off 104 balls. Carter displayed maturity and control throughout his innings, building patiently before accelerating at key moments.
The rest of the batting lineup provided support where possible to help push West Indies to a challenging total. South Africa’s bowling effort was led by JJ Basson, who produced an excellent spell to finish with 5 wickets for 23 runs from 10 overs.
In reply, South Africa were dismissed for 179 in 37.4 overs, falling well short of the target. The West Indies bowling attack maintained consistent pressure throughout the chase, led by Shaquan Belle, who delivered a match-winning spell of 6 wickets for 40 runs from his 10 overs. Belle’s regular breakthroughs prevented South Africa from establishing partnerships and kept the required run rate steadily climbing.
With wickets falling and scoring opportunities limited, South Africa were unable to mount a sustained challenge, allowing West Indies to remain in control of the contest from start to finish.
For his match-defining century, Zachary Carter was named Player of the Match, capping off a performance that could prove pivotal as the tournament progresses. Speaking at the post-match presentation, Carter said:
“My mindset was to maximize the power play, move through the gears and help my team to get the win. After getting a couple of low scores the confidence was a bit low, but the performance today helped my team to get a win and I’m very appreciative of it.”
“This World Cup century means the world. I had to work hard for it. It showed if we fight and keep fighting, we have the potential to go very far in this tournament.”
The victory ensured that the West Indies Rising Stars earned a 2nd-place berth, taking much-needed points into the Super Six stage and significantly strengthening their chances of securing a semi-final berth.
The Rising Stars will next face Ireland and Australia in the Super Six, with both matches set to play a decisive role in determining qualification for the semi-finals.
Spectator Sports Review
The win is a welcome win for the young Windies. Going into the Super 6, where they are grouped with an Australian team in fine form, those two points are valuable. The Windies will be looking for results from other teams. Particularly, Ireland and Sri Lanka. Both teams will play against Afghanistan, who are already 2 points ahead of the Windies.
The century from Carter reminds us that the Windies Rising Stars have depth with the bat. The bowling department has been outstanding throughout the tournament. Once there is a consistently positive batting performance in each game, then they are on to the semifinals.