Sports Sports: South Africa coach Shukri Conrad on Wednesday made no excuses and described his team’s nine-wicket defeat to New Zealand in the T20 World Cup semi-finals as the worst. 2024 runner-up South Africa had not lost even the knockout match in Kolkata. However, New Zealand achieved the target of 170 runs with 7.1 overs remaining and won easily. South Africa’s World Cup journey ended with a shameful defeat. New Zealand opener Finn Allen scored the fastest century of the T20 World Cup in 33 balls in Ahmedabad on Sunday, taking his team to the final.

South Africa, known as ‘Chokers’, once again faltered in the same way, failing in big knockout matches at the global level. South Africa had given good performance right from the beginning of the tournament.

South Africa did not lose under pressure, but it did not play its best. This is a huge defeat. Coach Conrad told reporters that South Africa did not lose because they ‘suffocated’ under pressure, but because they surrendered completely to their opponents.

He said, “I am very proud of all these guys. When the South African team came to the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, not many people expected this team to reach the semi-finals. So, reaching the semi-finals is an achievement.” New Zealand’s bowlers, who won the toss and fielded first, troubled the South African batsmen a lot. South Africa were in trouble early on, losing five vital wickets for 77 runs. In the end they scored 169 runs losing 8 wickets.

Finn Allen and Tim Seifert (58) laid a strong foundation for the team by adding 117 runs for the first wicket. No South African bowler could stand against the New Zealand batsmen. Allen scored the winning run by hitting two consecutive fours, two sixes and a boundary and completed his century, which helped his team win at Eden Gardens.

Shukri Conrad said, “South Africa needed to perform really well in an important semi-final match of the T20 World Cup. Playing most of the matches at one place (Ahmedabad) can have an impact on the team. But, we do not want to use it as an excuse for the defeat.”

South Africa played five of its seven matches in Ahmedabad, including two wins against defending champions India and the West Indies in the Super 8 stage.

He said, “It was a bad night for South Africa because New Zealand played brilliantly and dominated the match from the beginning. They (South Africa) were not given any chance to recover.”