Kolkata, March 5 -- South Africa's dream run in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup came to a crashing halt after a crushing nine-wicket defeat to New Zealand in Wednesday's semi-final, a result head coach Shukri Conrad bluntly described as "not a choke but a walloping".
Chasing 170, New Zealand raced to the target in just 12.5 overs at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata, thanks to a breathtaking opening partnership. Finn Allen smashed an unbeaten 100 off just 33 balls, the fastest century in the tournament's history, while Tim Seifert hammered 58 off 33 deliveries to seal a dominant victory.
The loss added another painful chapter to South Africa's history of heartbreaks in ICC tournaments. The 2024 runners-up had entered the semi-final as the only unbe...