However, the Proteas most seasoned T20 player, David Miller, arrived at the crease and, along with Dewald Brevis (45), the pair put on 97 for the fourth wicket partnership. This allowed South Africa to push for a competitive total, and despite losing the wickets of both key players, Tristan Stubbs played a crucial knock of 44 from 24 balls to ensure the Proteas reached a convincing total of 187 from their allotted overs.

South Africa wanted more runs since they faced the tournament favourites. However, they trusted their bowling attack to perform.

It was the influential skipper Markram who decided to open the bowling and surprised everyone with the early wicket of the dangerous Ishan Kishan (0). The packed-out Modi stadium was slowly being silenced after Marco Jansen and Corbin Bosch picked up the wickets of Tilak Varma (1), Abishek Sharma (15), captain Suryakumar Yadav (18), and Washington Sundar (11) respectively.

Shivam Dube (42) provided resistance, but it was the mercurial Keshav Maharaj who killed the game in his final over. Maharaj collected three wickets in that over, all caught by Stubbs on the long-on boundary, two of which required ‘step-over’ skills as he tossed the ball back into play and reclaimed it on the boundary’s edge. It was an extraordinary bowling performance. And an extraordinary 76-run victory.

South Africa faces the West Indies on Thursday and Zimbabwe on Sunday, with one more victory almost certain to secure a spot in the semifinals.