T20 World Cup: South Africa register complete win over India in opening match of Super 8s

South Africa confirmed their credentials as serious T20 World Cup contenders with an eye-catching 76-run win over defending champions India in their opening match of the Super 8s stage.

In a repeat of the 2024 final in Barbados which India won by seven runs, co-hosts South Africa set a target of 188 as a 35-ball 65 from David Miller and Dewald Preves’ 29-ball 45 helped them recover from a perilous 20-3 after four overs.

India, who entered the match with a perfect record of four group stage wins, produced an uncharacteristically timid chase in Ahmedabad and appeared resigned to their fate after falling to 51-5 in the 10th over before being bowled out for 111.

Opting to bat first, South Africa were in trouble after losing captain Aiden Markram, Quinton de Kock and Ryan Rickelton by single figures inside the powerplay and needed Miller and Preves to rebuild their innings.

Miller, who previously played for Ahmedabad-based Gujarat Titans in the Indian Premier League, looked at home from the start, finding the boundaries with ease as Breves was happy to play at number two.

Brevis then picked up the pace and fell five runs short of the half-century, but Miller went on to reach his half-century in 26 balls, and by the time he departed in the 16th over, South Africa were well placed at 152-5.

Some good bowling from Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh pulled them back but a late flourish from Tristan Stubbs, who added 20 runs off Hardik Pandya’s final, 44-over unbeaten run took them to 187-7.

Markram gave the Proteas the perfect start with the ball by sending dangerous Ishan Kishan back for a duck in the first over before Marko Janssen removed Tilak Varma three balls later.

Kishan’s opening partner Abhishek Sharma ended his run of three successive ducks but could only muster 15 before falling to Janssen while captain Suryakumar Yadav became the fifth Indian batsman to fall midway through the innings.

With him went India’s remaining hopes as Keshav Maharaj, who took three wickets in the 15th over, and Janssen, who took two in the 19th over to finish with 4-22, rounded out the seamers.

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.