PROTEAS BEAT INDIA TO EARN T20 WORLD CUP FAVOURITES TAG

THE Proteas beat India by 76 runs in their first Group 1 match of the T20 World Cup Super 8 stage on Sunday.

In what was a repeat of the last T20 World Cup final in Bridgetown, Barbados, in 2024 when India beat South Africa by seven runs, the Proteas this time walked away with the bragging rights.

And while the stakes weren’t quite as high at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad yesterday, the winners walked away with the tag of favourites at the year’s tournament.

Coach Shukri Conrad’s boys deserve that tag after fighting back in ware SA style after losing their first three wickets (Aiden Markam four, Quinton de Kock six and Ryan Rickelton seven) for just 20 runs after opting to bat first.

David Miller and Dewald Brevis then said nangani vir Jasprit Bumrah (3/15) and India, and shared a match-defining 97-run fourth wicket stand before the latter top-edged one to deep midwicket with his score on 45.

Miller continued his onslaught and scored 63 off 35 balls, with an unbeaten 44 off 24 balls by Tristan Stubbs taking the Proteas to 187/7 in their 20 overs.

The Proteas’ bowlers needed to match Miller & Co. if they were to win the match and when Markam (1/5) took the wicket of Ishan Kishan (duck) in the first over, they had hope.

Marco Jansen 4/22 and Keshav Maharaj 3/24 joined the party, as India’s batters simply didn’t have the answers to the Proteas’ bowlers, as they were eventually bowled out for 111.

The Proteas next face the West Indies on Thursday.