South Africa underlined their credentials as serious challengers for the T20 World Cup with an eye-catching 76-run victory against defending champions India in their opening match of the Super 8s phase.
In a repeat of the 2024 final in Barbados which India won by seven runs, South Africa set the co-hosts a target of 188 as a 35-ball 65 from David Miller and Dewald Brevis’ 29-ball 45 helped them recover from a precarious 20-3 after four overs.
India, who came into the game with a perfect record of four wins in the group stage, produced an uncharacteristically timid chase in Ahmedabad and looked resigned to their fate after slipping to 51-5 by 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 for single digits inside the powerplay and needed Miller and 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 gave the Proteas the perfect start with the ball by sending back the dangerous Ishan Kishan for a duck in the first over before Marco Jansen removed Tilak Varma three balls later.
Kishan’s opening partner Abhishek Sharma ended his run of three consecutive ducks but could only muster 15 before falling to Jansen while captain Suryakumar Yadav became the fifth India batter to fall halfway through their innings.
With him went India’s remaining hopes as Keshav Maharaj, who picked up three wickets in the 15th over, and Jansen, who took two in the 19th to finish with 4-22, wrapped up the tailenders.
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.