Aiden Markram admitted South Africa's semi-final elimination from the T20 World Cup felt like a "slap in the face", after they suffered a chastening defeat to New Zealand.

The Proteas were seen as favourites going into the final four, having boasted a perfect record in the group stage and the Super 8s.

Their seven wins were their second-most at a single edition of the tournament, having won eight in a row before finishing as runners-up to India in 2024, but they could not even match that run.

Finn Allen scored the fastest century in T20 World Cup history, reaching his ton from a mere 33 deliveries, as New Zealand easily chased down a target of 170 with 43 balls to spare.

Markram had managed 84 runs against the Black Caps in the group stage, but he fell cheaply for 18 on this occasion, with only Marco Jansen (55) scoring more than 30 for the Proteas.

After the loss, Markram said: "We'll reflect as a group. I think we expected the wicket to play really well. It looked pretty good to the eye. 

"So, we just needed to adapt a bit quicker with the bat and go back to a more old-school approach, set it up and try to scrap your way to 190, and maybe you'll be in the game from there. 

"Obviously, we're disappointed with the result, but I'm very proud of this group of guys. They played some really good cricket throughout this competition. It was just an unfortunate evening, really."

THANK YOU, SOUTH AFRICA! 

Our unbeaten run in the #T20WorldCup comes to an end in the Semi Final. 

A campaign defined by fight, belief and the true #Unbreakable spirit of #TheProteas. 

To every fan who backed us at home and around the world, we felt your support… pic.twitter.com/4cRo5XVsDD

— Proteas Men (@ProteasMenCSA) March 4, 2026

South Africa had won five consecutive meetings with New Zealand in the shortest format before Wednesday's loss, and given the lofty expectations around the team, Markram said the result was a major blow.

"All you can do is break down the game and try to find the areas that could have been better," he added. 

"And you get back on the horse, and you try and improve as a group and as individuals. Hopefully, that puts you in good stead for the future. 

"So again, we're hugely disappointed. It's a big slap in the face, but it feels like it. But because of that, ultimately, we'll have to come out stronger and be better as a team moving forward."