Ahmedabad, Feb 22 (IANS) Left-arm fast-bowling all-rounder Marco Janse picked 4-22 as South Africa produced a ruthless bowling display to thrash India by 76 runs in their Super Eights clash of the Men’s T20 World Cup at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Sunday. The defeat coming in front of 90,954 fans in a sea of blue was India’s first loss in an ICC event since the 2023 ODI World Cup final at the same venue.

After being reduced to 20/3 inside four overs on a slow black soil pitch, the Proteas staged a remarkable recovery through David Miller and Dewald Brevis. Miller struck a fluent 63 off 35 balls, while Brevis made 45 – their 97-run partnership steadying the innings before Tristan Stubbs smashed 44 not out to lift South Africa to 187/7.

Jasprit Bumrah was the standout for India with 3-15, supported by Arshdeep Singh’s 2-28, but the rest of the attack struggled to contain the Proteas counterattack. India’s chase never gained momentum, as they slumped to 51/5. Shivam Dube offered resistance with 42, but the asking rate spiralled beyond reach as India were bundled out for 111 in 18.5 overs.

Numbers game from India v South Africa match:

2: Opener Ishan Kishan failed to open his account. It was his 2nd duck in his 41st T20Is match. The first v South Africa in 6 matches.

31/3: India’s score in the powerplay (1-6 overs). Their lowest in the current World Cup.

6.8: Is the average of Indian opening pairs in the current World Cup.

12: After 12 consecutive victories from June 5, 2024 to Fen 18, 2026, India suffered their first defeat in the T20WC.

9: The number of half-centuries (63) scored by David Mille in 137 T20Is matches.. It was his highest score in the T20WC. Overall, it was his 3rd fifty in 31 World Cup matches.

76: South Africa beat India by 76 runs. It was their biggest defeat (by runs) in the T20WCs. Earlier, Australia beat India by 49 runs at Bridgetown in 2010.

111: India recorded their 3rd lowest total in the T20WC. In 2016 they scored 79 runs v NZ in Nagpur in2016 and 110 for 7 in 2021 v NZ in Dubai.

–IANS

hs/