History was made in the T20 World Cup 2026 semi-final as South Africa’s Marco Jansen unleashed an unbeaten 55 off 30 balls from number seven against New Zealand. This seven-boundary blitz secured him the distinction of being the first South African and second worldwide to score a half-century in a knockout match from such a position, emulating Michael Hussey’s 60* from 2010.
Jansen’s five sixes and two fours fueled a game-changing 73-run stand with Stubbs (29 off 24), helping South Africa recover from 77/5 to post 169/8 despite a shaky start post-toss loss.
The Proteas’ top order faltered spectacularly: two wickets in the second over, followed by Markram (18) and Brevis (34)’s 43-run effort that couldn’t prevent a middle-order meltdown by over 10.
New Zealand’s attack was sharp—Henry, McConchie, Ravindra (2/ each), plus Ferguson and Neesham (1/ each). Jansen’s poise under pressure not only set a record but also positioned South Africa strongly, reminding everyone that T20 thrills come from unexpected quarters.
As the match hangs in balance, Jansen’s legacy in World Cup lore is cemented, promising more such tales in cricket’s shortest format.