The Proteas suffered unmatched T20I humiliation at the hands of India on Friday, going down by an unthinkable 135 runs to set a number of unwanted records at the Wanderers.
Not only were the South Africans embarrassed on home soil, but they lost the series 3-1 to an under-strengthened India side, whose top dogs are all in Australia at the moment.
Batting first at the Bullring, which should change its name to the Bully-ring after this match, India smashed 283/1 in their 20 overs.
In the process, they recorded the most sixes hit in an innings (23) in a match involving two Tier 1 sides, they also gave SA their grootste pak ever, scored the highest total against SA in history as well as the fifth-highest in T20I history – the second highest in a match between two top-tier teams.
As Sanju Samson (109* off 56 balls) and Tilak Varma (120* off 47) partied up a storm in the fourth and final match of the series in Johannesburg and feasted on bowlers such as part-timer Tristan Stubbs who conceded 21 runs in his only over, Andile Simelane (0/47 in three overs), Lutho Sipamla (1/58 in four), Aiden Markram (0/30 in two), SA could only get to 148 before they were bowled out in their reply.
India have won 24 of their 26 T20 International games in 2024 👏👏#SAvIND | #SummerOfCricket pic.twitter.com/qQjjWJ0l8e
— SuperSport 🏆 (@SuperSportTV) November 15, 2024
Asked if he is beginning to feel the heat of these results on his job, SA coach Rob Walter says: “It’s incredibly difficult to be dead honest. Every coach has great pride in the job they produce and ultimately the performance of the team rests with me, I’m the head coach, I’m responsible for that.
“To lose series and games of cricket never sits well. If we don’t move forward as a side that doesn’t sit well either…
“Do I feel pressure from anyone other than myself? No. I feel the greatest pressure from myself…
“[This] is not a good example of how we want to play..”