South Africa have qualified for the semi-finals of the ongoing T20 World Cup after defeating co-host West Indies in a tense three-wicket win on the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method in a winner-takes-all Super 8s match.

With the win on Sunday, the African team has remain unbeaten at the World Cup after a seventh straight win which also saw them defeat England and USA along the way.

The Proteas go through top of the group, with England second, and will face the runners-up in Group 1.

Reports on the pulsating match showed that the South African team have been involved in a number of extremely tight games but keep getting over the line with different players stepping up at crucial times.

“After England secured their place in the last four on Sunday, the game in Antigua was essentially a quarter-final to decide the other side to progress from Group 2,” the report said.

“Chasing a DLS revised target of 123, South Africa wobbled at times but ultimately withstood the pressure and Marco Jansen thumped a six to seal the win with five balls to spare.

“Having restricted West Indies to 135-8, the Proteas appeared in control but Andre Russell struck twice in the second over of the chase to leave them 15-2.

“The Windies’ momentum was halted immediately, though, by a sudden downpour that kept the players off the field for 75 minutes.

“South Africa returned with a new target from 17 overs and a flurry of boundaries quickly put them back in the ascendency.”

Earlier in the game, it was South Africa’s spinners who did the damage with the ball with Tabraiz Shamsi taking 3-28.

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has rescheduled the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2025 which was to take place in Morocco from December 21, 2025, to January 18, 2026.

The decision to reschedule the tournament dates, according to CAF President Patrice Motsepe in a statement on Friday after virtual executive committee in Cairo, was to avoid a clash with the inaugural Club World Cup in the United States which will hold from June 15 to July 13 next year.

The AFCON was initially scheduled for June and July 2025, but following an announcement by FIFA of the Club World Cup in the summer of 2025, CAF had to reschedule its own competition to avoid a clash.

“I am confident that the CAF AFCON Morocco 2025 will be extremely successful and the best AFCON in the history of this competition,” Motsepe said, regardless of the postponement.

The 35th edition of the AFCON which will be held in Morocco, is set to make history with its unique scheduling as unlike previous tournaments, the edition will span across two years, commencing on December 21, 2025, and concluding on January 18, 2026.

This timing is also a deviation from the traditional AFCON schedule which typically begins in early January and ends in early February.

However, the new dates will upset many English Premier League clubs as the Christmas-New Year period is always frenetic with teams playing many matches in a short period and will need their African players who will be at the AFCON tournament during the hectic period.

Media reports in England have suggested many clubs might not release African stars as they are compelled to do so for only one international championship per year and the next World Cup is in 2026, but CAF could argue that it is the 2025 AFCON, although most of the tournament will be staged the following year.