Skipper Aiden Markram led from the front with a flamboyant half-century, guiding South Africa to a comprehensive 57-run win over Canada in their opening Group D T20 World Cup match on Monday.
Sent in to bat, Markram blasted 10 fours and a six on his way to 59 off 32 balls. Contributions from Ryan Rickelton (33), Quinton de Kock (25), Tristan Stubbs (34), and David Miller (39) helped South Africa post 213 for 4 after being asked to bat first.
In response, Canada managed only 156 for 8 in their allotted 20 overs, with Navneet Dhaliwal (64) emerging as the top scorer. Canada had a rough start to their chase, losing skipper Dilpreet Bajwa to an edge off a Lungi Ngidi (4/31) delivery to wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock on the first ball of the innings.
Dhaliwal and Yuvraj Samra added 17 runs in the first two overs before losing two wickets. Ngidi struck twice in the third over, first removing Samra, who edged one to de Kock, and two balls later, cleaning up Kirton, leaving Canada at 26 for 3 in 3 overs.
Dhaliwal and Harsh Thaker (33 off 29) shared a 69-run partnership for the fifth wicket to move Canada forward. However, left-arm pacer Marco Jansen (2/30) took two consecutive wickets in the 18th over to seal the emphatic win for South Africa.
The asking rate proved too high for Canada, which could only manage 156 for 8. Earlier, Markram opened the floodgates with three boundaries off Dilon Heyliger in the second over. Quinton de Kock (25 off 22 balls) followed Markram, smashing Saad Bin Zafar for two consecutive fours over long-off.
The pair continued aggressively, putting up 70 runs for the opening stand in just 6.5 overs. South Africa suffered their first blow when De Kock was cleaned up by right-arm pacer Bajwa.
Markram, in ominous form, brought up his fifty with a four off Bajwa in just 28 balls in the 10th over. Rickelton also looked in great form, smashing three fours and a six in his 21-ball knock.
Markram’s innings was cut short by left-arm spinner Ansh Patel, caught at long-on by Heyliger. Soon after, Rickelton was dismissed, handing a straightforward catch to Harsh Thaker at the rope off Patel’s bowling.
Dewald Brevis also failed to fire, getting holed out at mid-off by Nicholas Kirton in the same over, dealing a double blow to South Africa. Towards the end, Miller and Stubbs accelerated, powering the Proteas to a big total with an unbeaten 75-run fifth-wicket partnership from just 37 balls.
Miller was at his best towards the end, hitting sixes at will. Left-arm spinner Ansh Patel was the pick of the bowlers for Canada, with figures of 3/31.
(With Agency Inputs)
