South Africa underlined their credentials as critical challengers for the T20 World Cup with an eye catching 76-run victory towards defending champions India of their opening match of the Tremendous 8s section.
In a repeat of the 2024 ultimate in Barbados which India received by seven runs, South Africa set the co-hosts a goal of 188 as a 35-ball 65 from David Miller and Dewald Brevis’ 29-ball 45 helped them get better from a precarious 20-3 after 4 overs.
India, who got here into the sport with an ideal report of 4 wins within the group stage, produced an uncharacteristically timid chase in Ahmedabad and seemed resigned to their destiny after slipping to 51-5 by the tenth over earlier than being bowled out for 111.
Opting to bat first, South Africa have been in bother after dropping captain Aiden Markram, Quinton de Kock and Ryan Rickelton for single digits contained in the powerplay and wanted Miller and Brevis to rebuild their innings.
Miller, who beforehand performed for Ahmedabad-based Gujarat Titans within the Indian Premier League, seemed proper at residence from the beginning, discovering boundaries with ease as Brevis was glad to play second fiddle.
Brevis then picked up the tempo and fell 5 runs wanting a half-century however Miller soldiered on to achieve his half-century in 26 balls and by the point he departed within the sixteenth over, South Africa have been properly poised at 152-5.
Some good dying bowling from Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh reined them again however a late flourish from Tristan Stubbs, who added 20 off Hardik Pandya’s ultimate over, in an unbeaten 44 took them to 187-7.
Markram gave the Proteas the right begin with the ball by sending again the damaging Ishan Kishan for a duck within the first over earlier than Marco Jansen eliminated Tilak Varma three balls later.
Kishan’s opening companion Abhishek Sharma ended his run of three consecutive geese however might solely muster 15 earlier than falling to Jansen whereas captain Suryakumar Yadav grew to become the fifth India batter to fall midway by means of their innings.
With him went India’s remaining hopes as Keshav Maharaj, who picked up three wickets within the fifteenth over, and Jansen, who took two within the nineteenth to complete with 4-22, wrapped up the tailenders.
India might want to defeat Zimbabwe in Chennai on Thursday to remain alive within the competitors whereas South Africa will stay in Ahmedabad to face former champions West Indies on Wednesday.
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