By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
South Africa crushed defending champions and co-hosts India by 76 runs to get their T20 World Cup Super Eights to a perfect start in Ahmedabad on Sunday.
Proteas won the toss and elected to bat, managing 187 for seven in their 20 overs.
South Africa were in trouble after losing captain Aiden Markram, Quinton de Kock and Ryan Rickelton for single digits inside the powerplay and needed David Miller and Dewald Brevis to rebuild their innings.
Miller, who previously played for Ahmedabad-based Gujarat Titans in the Indian Premier League, looked right at home from the start, finding boundaries with ease as Brevis was happy to play second fiddle.
Brevis then picked up the pace and fell five runs short of a half-century but Miller soldiered on to reach his half-century in 26 balls and by the time he departed in the 16th over, South Africa were well poised at 152-5.
Some good death bowling from Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh reined them back but a late flourish from Tristan Stubbs, who added 20 off Hardik Pandya’s final over, in an unbeaten 44 took them to 187-7.
Markram opened the bowling with his part-time spin and took the wicket of opener Ishan Kishan (0 from 4) to set the tone.
Marco Jansen (4-22 in 3.5) picked up two more quick wickets and the visitors kept chipping away, not allowing any of the batters to settle. Lungi Ngidi did not pick up a wicket, but returned the excellent figures of 0-15 in four overs with his clever change of pace.
Keshav Maharaj, who picked up three wickets in the 15th over, and Jansen wrapped up the tailenders.
South Africa not only won the game, but provided a significant boost to their run-rate, and put a big dent into India.
India will need to defeat Zimbabwe in Chennai on Thursday to stay alive in the competition while South Africa will remain in Ahmedabad to face former champions West Indies on Wednesday.
“It was a great performance,” Markram said. “A different type of wicket to what we have had here. The boys assessed that early and then adapted to their plans.”
“I’m happy for the bowlers, the start to the competition was tough, but tonight (they were brilliant).
The partnership (Brevis and Miller) put up, it kept us in the game. We did not feel like the ball was travelling. It was a bit spongy, we were trying to hit into space and run hard. They bowled well up front and at the death, but our batting through the middle was probably the difference.