For a decade and a half, the narrative surrounding South African cricket has been one of “almosts” and “what-ifs”. But on a humid Sunday night at the Narendra Modi Stadium, in front of nearly 90 000 expectant fans, the Proteas didn’t just win a cricket match; they dismantled a dynasty.
By crushing defending champions India by 76 runs, Aiden Markram’s men snapped a 12-match winning streak that had made the Men in Blue look invincible. More importantly, they proved the central thesis of David Miller’s post-match sermon: India are “beatable”.
Yet, in a display of the “maturity” coach Shukri Conrad has spent months cultivating, the Proteas are refusing to celebrate. With two Super Eight fixtures remaining against the West Indies and Zimbabwe, the message from the inner sanctum is clear: the job is only half-done.
At 20/3 in the fourth over, the South African dream looked set to dissolve into another familiar heartbreak. Jasprit Bumrah (3/15) was operating at a level of skill that felt like a glitch in the matrix, removing Quinton de Kock and Ryan Rickelton with surgical precision.
Enter David Miller. The most experienced head in the dugout found an unlikely accomplice in the youthful exuberance of Dewald Brevis. While Miller provided the tactical blueprint — targeting the spin of Varun Chakravarthy and Washington Sundar — Brevis provided the flair. Their 97-run stand wasn’t just a recovery; it was a statement.
“You don’t want to go into your shell,” Miller said after his Man of the Match performance (63 off 35). “We felt we could hit over the inner ring. It’s about making sure you do simple things and get the job done.”
The Tactical Masterclass
If Miller and Brevis set the stage and Tristan Stubbs provided the grand finale with a 24-ball 44, it was the bowling unit that delivered the knockout blow.
The Proteas’ defence of 187 was a masterclass in modern T20 tactics. Aiden Markram’s decision to open the bowling himself and claim Ishan Kishan for a duck telegraphed a plan that was “emailed and faxed” to the Indian camp but remained unreadable.
Lungi Ngidi’s execution of the slower ball (0/15 in 4 overs) acted as the anchor, allowing Marco Jansen (4/22) and Keshav Maharaj (3/24) to tear through an Indian middle order missing the calming presence of retired greats Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli.
Staying in the Lane
The victory margin of 76 runs is massive, not just for the ego but for the Net Run Rate (NRR) equations that often haunt the tournaments. However, South Africa has been here before — high on a group-stage win, only to stumble when the lights get brighter.
“We’re a mature team,” Miller insisted. “A lot of guys have played together for a long time, and that goes a long way under pressure. It’s just staying in your lane.”
The “lane” now leads to a clash with the West Indies on Thursday. The Proteas sit at the summit of their Super Eight group but with the World Test Championship mace in their trophy cabinet from last year, the group knows that only silver matters in the end.
Scorecard Summary
• South Africa: 187/7 (Miller 63, Brevis 45, Stubbs 44*; Bumrah 3/15)
• India: 111 all out (Dube 42; Jansen 4/22, Maharaj 3/24)
• Result: South Africa won by 76 runs
South Africa has been here before — high on a group-stage win, only to stumble when the lights get brighte
