AHMEDABAD: A hungry South Africa will “keep wanting more” after their statement victory over co-hosts India at the T20 World Cup earmarked Aiden Markram’s side as serious title contenders.
India were swept aside by 76 runs as 80,000 fans in Ahmedabad were silenced on Sunday and their 12-match win streak at the T20 World Cup, stretching back to 2022, came to a crashing halt.
India, batting second for the first time in the tournament, collapsed to 111 all out in their Super Eights opener after South Africa posted 187-7.
David Miller showed India’s much-vaunted line-up how to bat on a slow Ahmedabad pitch, building an innings after South Africa lost early wickets and were 20-3 in the power play.
Miller put on 97 for the fourth wicket with Dewald Brevis (45) on his way to 63 off 35 balls in a perfectly paced knock.
It set the platform for Tristan Stubbs to launch a late assault with 44 off 24 balls, including a crucial 20 from the final over.
Miller said that India’s cloak of invincibility had been removed and now South Africa knew “that they are beatable”.
“It wasn’t easy. Playing against India is always really difficult and they’ve got some incredible team and players,” Miller told reporters.
“For us in a tournament like this, it’s about making sure that we do keep going back to the simple things, making sure that we stay in our lane as a player, get the job done and keep wanting more.
“We’re a mature team. A lot of guys have played together and a lot of cricket for South Africa and that goes a long way under pressure,” said Miller.
Quick bowler Marco Jansen took 4-22, ably supported by left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj (3-24) and fellow quick Lungi Ngidi (0-15) in a rematch of the 2024 final, won by India.
“Look I don’t think anyone was thinking of revenge. It was a big game,” Ngidi told reporters.
“But if we lift the trophy, that’s proper revenge – if you want to call it that.
“But tonight was just another game we needed to win to put ourselves in a better position to challenge for the trophy.”
The West Indies face Zimbabwe on Monday night in Mumbai in their Super Eights opener in the same group.
South Africa play the West Indies on Thursday in Ahmedabad where Markram’s side could put one foot firmly in the semi-finals with another win.
On the same day in Chennai, India face giant-killers Zimbabwe, who have already beaten Australia and Sri Lanka, and must win convincingly.
Anything less and India will need to beat the West Indies in their final match rely on a combination of other results going their way.
