Lhuan-dre Pretorius top scored with 94 as South Africa beat Zimbabwe by 43 runs in Windhoek on Tuesday to reach the final of a Twenty20 tri-series which also includes Namibia.
South Africa won the toss and posted 185-7 at one of the venues for the 2027 ODI Cricket World Cup. Zimbabwe were all out for 142 in 17.2 overs.
Hosts Namibia meet Zimbabwe on Thursday in the next match, which will decide the other finalists with both teams currently having two points.
Left-hand opener Pretorius fell just short of a maiden T20I century. An attempted flick exposed his wicket and quick bowler Brad Evans uprooted the leg stump.
The 20-year-old South African struck three sixes and 12 fours off 51 deliveries as he bettered his previous T20I top score of 51.
"I am just glad we won. Milestones can wait. At one stage I thought we would exceed 200 runs," Pretorius told reporters after receiving the player-of-the-match award.
Captain Sikandar Raza top-scored with 45 for Zimbabwe, who added 76 after slumping to 66-8 with spinner Bjorn Fortuin and quick Duan Jansen sharing the South African bowling honours.
Brief scores
South Africa 185-7 in 20 overs (L. Pretorius 94, D. Brevis 41; W. Madhevere 3-20) v Zimbabwe 142 in 17.4 overs (S. Raza 45; B. Fortuin 4-24, D. Jansen 3-21)
Result: South Africa won by 43 runs
Toss: South Africa
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Thursday: Namibia v Zimbabwe (1200 GMT)