India ended their 17-year wait to win the T20 World Cup as they edged out South Africa by seven runs in a thrilling final in Barbados.
Saturday's match went right to the wire with South Africa requiring 16 runs from the final over, but Hardik Pandya clinched a hat-trick with the late dismissals of David Miller and Kagiso Rabada as the Proteas lost their nerve.
Virat Kohli had earlier smashed 76 runs off 59 balls, comfortably his best score of the tournament, to help India set a daunting target of 177 – the highest ever in a men's T20 World Cup final.
Kohli's innings came to an end in the penultimate over as he swung Rabada's delivery straight to Marco Jansen at long-on, after partner Axar Patel (47) was run out by Quinton de Kock.
That knock proved to be the title clincher, though, as the India bowlers provided able support to their batsmen.
South Africa were reduced to 12-2 within the first three overs as Jasprit Bumrah sent wickets flying with a brilliant outswinger to beat Reeza Hendricks (4) and Arsheep Singh had Aiden Markram (4) caught behind by Rishabh Pant.
If India thought they would be able to defend their total in comfort, however, they were mistaken.
Heinrich Klaasen slammed 52 off 27 balls with support from De Kock (39) and Tristan Stubbs (31), to take them close.
Thirty runs from as many deliveries was the target at one point, but Klaasen nicked Pandya's ball through to Pant in the 17th over and Bumrah followed up by dismissing Jansen for two.
The tail was unable to provide the heroics for South Africa, desperate final-over swings from Miller (21) and Rabada (4) going unrewarded as Pandya finished with an efficient 3-20.
Kohli picks his moment
Kohli has not been on top form throughout this tournament, 37 versus Bangladesh his best score until this point with five of his innings bringing single-digit tallies.
He stepped up when it mattered most, though, becoming just the third player to make a half-century in multiple T20 World Cup finals, having made 77 in India's 2014 loss to Sri Lanka (also Marlon Samuels and Kumar Sangakkara).
After being presented with the Man-of-the-Match award, Kohli suggested he will not play at the next edition of the tournament in 2026. If his T20I career is over, he certainly went out on a high.
Klaasen's historic knock in vain
South Africa ran India close despite being tasked with chasing the best total ever recorded in a T20 World Cup final, and that was mostly due to Klaasen's efforts.
He made his half-century in 23 balls, the fastest 50 in a T20 World Cup final. He obliterated the previous record, Mitchell Marsh's 31-ball half-century for Australia in 2021.
Long wait over for India
Most observers would agree India are fitting champions, having marked themselves out as the best team at the tournament during the last few weeks.
It is their first T20 World Cup crown since they won the inaugural edition in 2007, and they have joined England and West Indies as the only teams to triumph more than once (two titles each).
England captain Jos Buttler believes his side lost their match against South Africa in the powerplay after losing by seven runs in the Super 8s.
South Africa registered their second-most productive powerplay in the tournament so far, with Quinton de Kock proving invaluable with 49 runs during that time.
In England's powerplay, they managed to get just 41 runs, their lowest such tally of the year, and though they pushed late on, they came up just short in the chase.
Buttler admitted that in hindsight, it was South Africa's start that cost England in the end, despite giving themselves a reachable target.
"I'd say it was lost in the powerplay," Buttler said. "Quinton de Kock came out and played with really good intent, and we couldn't really match that. I think we were about 20 behind them at the end of our first six.
"The wicket did slow up, which allowed us to pull it back in the middle, and we were happy to be chasing 160. But yeah, that innings was the difference.
"It's still a good pitch but a little slower than we probably expected. I'm proud of how we responded with the ball after their good powerplay, and Brook and Livingstone had an excellent partnership there to take us so close.
"At one stage, we were favourites but T20 cricket is never that simple, and credit to South Africa for closing it out.
"We know we're still in it. We played well today; we just didn't quite get over the line."
De Kock, who finished on 65, was named Player of the Match for his impressive turn – he equalled the fastest half-century of the tournament (22 balls, level with USA's Aaron Jones), and broke his own record for the most runs in a powerplay by a South Africa batter at a men's T20 World Cup.
South Africa remain unbeaten in the tournament so far and have put themselves in a good position to qualify for the semi-finals, and De Kock was pleased with how they got the win on Friday.
"My plan was to just bat as long as I can and score as many runs I can," De Kock said. "That was pretty much it. I don't really carry or lose confidence; I just get on with my game. So that is what I focused on.
"I thought we bowled really well, especially in the powerplay. We controlled it really nicely. Overall, we were pretty solid and to defend on 160 on a decent pitch is a good effort."
South Africa made it two wins from two in the T20 World Cup Super 8s with a seven-run victory over England on Friday, edging them closer to the final four.
Quinton de Kock starred for the Proteas, but it was Anrich Nortje who ensured England could not win thanks to his bowling in the final over.
South Africa got off to the perfect start, registering their second-most productive powerplay in the tournament so far, without losing a wicket.
De Kock hit his half-century off 22 balls, eventually finishing with 65. However, they soon slipped away as England rallied.
Despite an early over costing him 21 runs, Archer finished strongly on 3-40, helped by some superb catching from Jos Buttler as England eventually limited them to 163-6.
However, England could not keep that momentum going when they stepped up to bat, getting just 41 runs in their own powerplay – their lowest tally this year.
It was not until the introduction of Harry Brook (53) and Liam Livingstone (33) that they found their groove, but when the former got caught in the in the final over, Sam Curran and Jofra Archer could not get the 14 runs they needed from the final five balls, finishing just short on 156-6.
Data Debrief: Records aplenty for De Kock
De Kock has scored back-to-back fifties at the T20 World Cup, but his tally today equalled the fastest half-century of the tournament (USA's Aaron Jones also got 50 off 22 balls).
His 49 runs in the powerplay is the most by a South Africa batter at a men's T20 World Cup, beating his own previous record of 46 against England in 2016.
Quinton de Kock and Kagiso Rabada impressed as South Africa held on to defeat the United States by 18 runs in an entertaining encounter as the Super 8s began at the T20 World Cup on Wednesday.
Opener De Kock smashed 74 runs from just 40 balls and captain Aiden Markram added 46 for the Proteas as their top order finally fired after enduring a difficult start to the tournament.
Even though Harmeet Singh (2-24) removed De Kock and David Miller (0) in consecutive balls in the 13th over, Heinrich Klaasen (36 not out) and Tristan Stubbs (20no) helped South Africa to a healthy 194-4 in Antigua.
USA fell to 76-5 just after the midway point of their innings as it looked like a chase of 195 would fall flat, but a magnificent partnership of 91 from 43 balls between Andries Gous and Harmeet took USA to within 28 of their target with two overs to spare.
However, Rabada took the crucial wicket of Harmeet for 38 and killed the contest as his 19th over went for that wicket and just two runs, capping a fine bowling display that saw him finish with figures of 3-18 from four overs.
Gous batted on and finished with an impressive unbeaten 80 off 47 balls, but USA fell short as South Africa maintained their 100 per cent record in the competition so far.
Data Debrief: De Kock and Gous impress
After USA won the toss and elected to field before removing Reeza Hendricks (11) in the third over, they sensed an opportunity to seize control.
But De Kock had other ideas, smashing three successive sixes as South Africa scored a huge 28 off the fourth over to seize momentum they did not relinquish from there.
De Kock’s superb innings included five maximums and seven fours until he was finally removed by Harmeet in the 13th over.
As the South Africa star left the field, only three players had recorded a better innings than him in this year's tournament – West Indies' Nicholas Pooran (98), USA's Aaron Jones (94 not out) and Afghanistan batter Rahmanullah Gurbaz (who has had scores of 80 and 76).
But Gous then immediately topped him with an excellent knock of his own, and the American now has the most runs in the tournament with 182, putting him 15 ahead Gurbaz, who is back in action against India on Thursday.
The Barbados Royals have announced their lineup for the upcoming Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL) season, retaining a formidable roster that promises thrilling performances. Among the 14 confirmed players, South African powerhouses Quinton de Kock and David Miller will once again don the Royals' colours, adding significant firepower to the batting lineup.
The Royals' strategy for the 2024 season also includes key overseas bowlers such as Sri Lankan spinner Maheesh Theekshana, Afghanistan's pace sensation Naveen ul Haq, and South African left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj. These bowlers are expected to bolster the team's attack with their diverse skill sets.
On the local front, the Royals have secured the services of West Indies T20 captain Rovman Powell, whose leadership and explosive batting are invaluable assets. Alongside Powell, the team will benefit from the experience and all-round capabilities of Jason Holder, a stalwart in the Royals' lineup. Left-arm seamer Obed McCoy, known for his wicket-taking prowess, will return, as will the promising young fast bowler Ramon Simmonds.
Adding to their local contingent, the Royals have retained Rahkeem Cornwall, a powerful hitter and effective off-spinner, and Alick Athanaze, whose batting talent continues to impress. Young talents Kevin Wickham, Nyeem Young, and Rivaldo Clarke will also be part of the squad, bringing fresh energy and potential to the team.
As the Royals prepare for the CPL draft in July, where they have three more spots to fill, their current roster reflects a balanced mix of seasoned internationals and promising home-grown talent. This blend sets a strong foundation for a competitive campaign in the 2024 Republic Bank CPL season.
Roston Chase and Gudakesh Motie played starring roles to lead the West Indies to a 16-run win over South Africa and an unassailable 2-0 series lead at Sabina Park in Kingston on Saturday.
The hosts, after winning the toss and batting first, made an imposing 207-7 from their 20 overs on a much-improved Sabina Park pitch.
Stand-in Captain Brandon King, who stood out with a top score of 79 in the first T20I, got the ball rolling quickly on Saturday with a 13-run third over off the bowling of Anrich Nortje, who South Africa brought in for this game in place of Gerald Coetzee.
Johnson Charles, playing his 50th T20I, once again failed to make any inroads with the bat as he was first to fall, caught in the deep off the bowling of Bjorn Fortuin for seven.
Kyle Mayers joined the skipper and the pair brought the score up to 51-1 at the end of the first powerplay with King 35* off 20 balls and looking set for another big one and Mayers on nine from seven balls.
Unfortunately for the hosts and the Sabina Park crowd, King’s knock didn’t last much longer as he became the first T20I wicket for debutant Nqaba Peter when he was caught at long on for 36 in the seventh over.
Peter got his second wicket not long after when Mayers, after hitting a six the ball before, became the third West Indies batsman to get out caught in the deep. He made a 16-ball 32 including two fours and three sixes. The score at the time of his wicket was 83-3 with one ball left in the ninth over.
At the halfway point, the hosts were 88-3 with Roston Chase and Andre Fletcher at the crease on 10 and three, respectively.
The pair then batted beautifully to put on a further 56 in short time before Fletcher fell for 29 to leave the West Indies 139-4 with five overs left.
Not long after, Chase brought up an excellent maiden T20I fifty with a flat six over mid-wicket off Lungi Ngidi in the 17th over. His milestone came off 30 balls.
The 19th over proved to be the most crucial for the West Indies as a trio of sixes from Romario Shepherd brought the score past the 200 mark before he fell off the last ball of that over for 26 off just 13 balls.
In the end, Chase finished 67* off just 38 balls including seven fours and two sixes.
Peter was the pick of the South African bowlers with 2-32 from his four overs while Ngidi and Andile Phehlukwayo took 2-41 and 2-51 from their respective four over spells.
The start from South Africa then had Sabina Park silent as openers Reeza Hendricks and Quinton De Kock absolutely hammered the West Indian bowling around the park on the way to an opening partnership of 81 in the first five overs.
The last ball of that fifth over proved to be the start of the West Indian fightback as De Kock took one risk too many and was bowled by Akeal Hosein for 41 off just 17 balls including four fours and as many sixes.
Three balls later, one became two for the Windies as Reeza Hendricks, who made 87 in the first game on Thursday, was dismissed by Chase for 34 to leave the tourists 83-2 at the halfway point of the sixth over.
Ryan Rickelton and Matthew Breetzke then added a further 30 before the latter went for an ill-advised second run and was run out thanks to a brilliant throw from the deep mid-wicket boundary by Shamar Joseph for 12 off the penultimate ball of the 10th over.
Rickelton was next to go, caught off the bowling of Romario Shepherd for 19 to leave the score at 124-4 off 12 overs.
Not long after, Andile Phehlukwayo fell to another brilliant piece of fielding from Joseph, this time a catch in the deep off the bowling of Gudakesh Motie for three to leave the South Africans reeling at 138-5 in the 15th over.
Any chance South Africa had of pulling off the chase was dashed when Gudakesh Motie dismissed both Rassie Van Der Dussen (30) and Wiaan Mulder (9) in the 17th over.
In the end, South Africa reached 191-7 from their 20 overs, 16 runs short of their target.
Motie ended with 3-22 from his four overs while Shepherd bowled a crucial spell with 1-21 from his four.
Chase, who was named man of the match, completed a fine all-round performance with 1-26 from his four overs.
Chase says the team has eyes on a series sweep.
“Obviously we’ve started the series well being 2-0 up but three is better than two. I just think it’s for us to look at some of the areas where we were weak today and plan to execute them better tomorrow and improve on the areas we did well in as well,” he said.
“The guys have been playing some good cricket, we just had a camp in Antigua and we’ve put in a lot of hard work so it’s just for us to come out and execute and mostly, enjoy the cricket. I think once you go out there to enjoy the cricket, it becomes a lot easier and takes a bit of pressure off of you so it’s just to go out there and have fun,” he added.
The third T20I is set for Sunday.
Delhi Bulls sank to the lowest total in the Abu Dhabi T10's seven-year history, folding for just 31 despite having Quinton de Kock, Johnson Charles, James Vince, Rilee Rossouw, Rovman Powell, Ravi Bopara and Dwayne Bravo in their ranks, to give New York Strikers their third win and a spot at the top of the table for now.
If you score 98 for 4 in a ten-overs-a-side tournament where three figures are breached quite often, you expect to have it tough in the second half, but it was certainly not the case on the day for Strikers at the Zayed Cricket Stadium on Monday.
Two wickets fell in the first over of the chase, to Akeal Hosein (3 for 7), one each in the second and third, and three in the fifth to Chamika Karunaratne (3 for 6). That was the end of the specialist batters bar Bopara, who was the only Bulls batter to get into double-digits with 16.
The Bulls were bowled out with three balls left in the innings after four batters fell for ducks.
In the first half, Rahmanullah Gurbaz dominated proceedings with a 24-ball 49 not out, as Strikers reached what was a just-about-par score of 98… it proved more than three times what Bulls could manage on the day.
Bulls have now lost two on the bounce after starting with three wins in a row, and are still up at No. 3 on the table, while Strikers, after starting with a loss, have now won three in a row.
Richard Gleeson picked up three big wickets in one over, and later the Player-of-the-Match award, to set up a huge win for Delhi Bulls over Bangla Tigers in Abu Dhabi T10 League action at the Zayed Cricket Stadium on Saturday.
The win was Bulls' third in a row, and placed them comfortably at the top of the table, at least for the time being.
Tigers were going fine at 28 for 2 after three overs, and with Jordan Cox, David Miller and Dasun Shanaka, among others, to follow, looked set to put up another big total after scoring 143 for 4 in their win over Dubai Gladiators on Thursday.
But Gleeson changed the script in the space of five balls in the fourth over, getting rid of Miller, Shanaka and Cox, in that order, to leave Tigers completely off-kilter at 29 for 5.
Between Daniel Sams (20 not out in 15 balls) and Carlos Brathwaite (21 in 17), Tigers did fight back to get to 81 for 7, but it was never going to be enough against Bulls' powerful batting line-up.
Quinton de Kock and Johnson Charles fell inside two overs, but James Vince (17 in nine), Rilee Rossouw (21* in 11) and captain Rovman Powell (37* in 11) made sure Bulls got to the target quickly - in just six overs.
For Tigers, it was a second loss in three games, and at the end of it, they were placed seventh on the eight-team table.
Earlier on Saturday, explosive 30s from captain Nicholas Pooran and Tom Kohler-Cadmore, followed by Andre Fletcher's 12-ball 41, set up a crushing win for Deccan Gladiators over Team Abu Dhabi.
Pooran dashed out of the blocks taking left-arm finger-spinner Roelof van der Merwe for two fours and two sixes in the first over. Rumman Raees then dealt a double-blow, removing both Pooran and Andre Russell off successive balls in the fourth over, but Kohler-Cadmore and Fletcher proceeded to re-establish Gladiators' dominance.
Six of the 12 balls that Fletcher faced were sent to the boundary, including five sixes. Fletcher, Fabian Allen and Kohler-Cadmore all fell in quick succession, but David Wiese provided the final flourish with 15 off six balls.
Abu Dhabi started their chase shakily, losing their top three inside five overs. Leus du Plooy (25), Colin Ingram (19) and captain Dwaine Pretorius (9), fought back to lend some respectability to the scorecard. Sri Lankan slinger Nuwan Thushara, who plays for Jaffna Kings in the LPL, was the pick of the bowlers for Gladiators, coming away with 2 for 5 in his two overs.
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The Seattle Orcas became the first finalists in Major League Cricket history after a dominant nine-wicket win over the Texas Super Kings in Qualifier 1 at the Grand Prairie Stadium in Dallas on Thursday.
The Super Kings managed to post just 126-9 in their 20 overs after winning the toss and choosing to bat first.
Daniel Sams hit 26* while Devon Conway and Cody Chetty each hit 24. Those were the only Super Kings batsmen to reach double figures as Andrew Tye took 3-32 and Imad Wasim grabbed 2-23 for the Orcas.
Quinton De Kock then led the successful chase for the Orcas with an unbeaten 50-ball 88 including 10 fours and four sixes.
He was well supported by Shehan Jayasuriya who hit 31* as Seattle needed just 15 overs to reach 127-1 and secure a spot in the final.
Their opponents will be determined when the Super Kings face MI New York, who beat the Washington Freedom by 16 runs in the Eliminator on the same day, on Friday.
MI New York made 141-7 off their 20 overs after being put in to bat by the Freedom.
Dewald Brevis, who played because of an injury sustained by Captain, Kieron Pollard, in their last game, led the way with 57 off 41 balls including four fours and three sixes.
Saurabh Netravalkar took 2-25 for the Freedom.
Washington were then restricted to 125-9 from their 20 overs despite 28 from Marco Jansen and 24 from Andries Gous.
Trent Boult led the charge with 4-20 while Nosthush Kenjige took 2-19 for MI New York.
Quinton de Kock's sensational century propelled South Africa to a remarkable six-wicket victory over West Indies in a thrilling T20I after a record-breaking knock from Johnson Charles at Centurion.
Charles' astonishing 118 from 46 balls and an excellent 51 from Kyle Mayers got the Windies to what looked to be a series-winning total of 258-5 on Sunday.
Yet De Kock (100 off 44) had other ideas, with South Africa's former captain leading the Proteas to a sensational triumph and the highest successful run chase in T20Is.
By the end of the third over the hosts had scored 62 without loss, and they added an additional 20 runs from the next 18 deliveries. South Africa's total of 102-0 from the first six overs is the highest powerplay score in a T20I involving Test-playing nations, and the fastest first hundred runs scored in a T20I involving a full ICC member.
In the process, De Kock struck South Africa's quickest 50, from just 15 balls – the fifth-fastest half-century in the shortest format.
De Kock should have been caught in the deep shortly after, but did not let up as he cruised to his maiden T20I century, taking just 42 deliveries to get there, before falling to Raymon Reifer soon after.
Reeza Hendricks (68 from 28 balls) picked up the slack, though he followed Rilee Rossouw (16) in heading back to the pavilion when the Windies claimed wickets in swift succession in the 12th and 13th overs.
Romario Shepherd caught David Miller to hand West Indies a further flash of hope, yet three big hits from new captain Aiden Markram (38) put the Proteas back in control as they cantered to victory and levelled the series.
Charles' record ton overshadowed
If it was not for De Kock's sparkling knock, Charles would have been the story.
His century, which came from 39 deliveries and included 11 sixes and 10 fours, was the fastest T20I hundred by a West Indies player, surpassing a record set by Chris Gayle in 2016 (47 balls). Unfortunately for the tourists, it was not enough.
Bad day for the bowlers
It was certainly a day for the batters at SuperSport Park. South Africa's bowlers set the tone for what was to come as they struggled to keep the Windies under wraps, despite Wayne Parnell (2-42) dismissing Brandon King in the first over.
The Windies attack then suffered as De Kock, Hendricks and then Markram put them to the sword in a stunning display.
South Africa will look to maintain their ODI momentum ahead of the Cricket World Cup, but they are set to contend with key injuries as they take on West Indies in a three-match 50-over series, which starts on Thursday.
The Proteas wrapped up a convincing 2-0 Test series win against West Indies earlier in the month, having beaten world champions England 2-1 in an ODI series before that.
While Shukri Conrad has already taken charge of the Test side, this latest series will be the first for new white-ball coach Rob Walter having completed his term with New Zealand's Central Stags.
Walter will be without important players, however, after Keshav Maharaj ruptured his left Achilles in the Test series. Wiaan Mulder is also unavailable with a left side strain, with Tabraiz Shamsi and Wayne Parnell replacing the pair.
South Africa will be favourites given their form, but all-rounder Bjorn Fortuin is certain his side will take nothing for granted when they face off in the first ODI against West Indies since the 2019 World Cup.
"We are going to need to be at our best in all three aspects of the game to beat them, and that's what we are working towards," Fortuin said.
"They are a dangerous side on all fronts, whether with the ball or bat. We know they are supreme athletes on the field.
"The boys are coming off a successful Test series, and we will be looking to build on that and build some momentum."
West Indies have also made leadership changes prior to the series, with Shai Hope taking over the captaincy from Nicholas Pooran.
Pooran remains in the side and will look to form a key part of the middle order alongside Roston Chase and Shamarh Brook.
Interim coach Andre Coley's side have won just one of their last eight ODIs and have brought in former leg-spinner Samuel Badree to serve as assistant coach as they look to improve before the World Cup in October.
De Kock chasing milestone
Quinton de Kock may no longer play Test cricket, but the wicketkeeper's supreme batting talents are still a vital cog in South Africa's limited-over successes.
The 30-year-old has played 137 ODIs and is just 99 runs away from becoming the seventh men's player to score 6,000 runs for South Africa in the format.
If he reaches the milestone in his first match of the series, De Kock will become the third-fastest player overall to that mark in the history of ODIs, behind only Hashim Amla and Virat Kohli.
West Indies' ambitions rest on Hope
New skipper Hope has been a bright spark in an otherwise drab period for West Indies in ODI cricket.
The Windies will be relying on his top-order exploits as they look to turn around their form, with his average of 49 in men's ODIs the best of any batsman to play at least six innings for West Indies.
South Africa wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock was not considered for selection for the Proteas' final ODI against England on Wednesday following an injury to his right thumb.
De Kock suffered the injury in the 2nd ODI on Sunday while attempting to catch a ball off of an edge from England batsman Harry Brook.
The Proteas' wicketkeeper was cleared to bat in the second innings after a scan revealed no fracture and made 31 as a superb Temba Bavuma century saw his side chase down 342 to win by five wickets.
However, Cricket South Africa (CSA) decided De Kock will not be risked in the third ODI with Heinrich Klaasen his replacement.
South Africa are aiming for a series sweep after winning the first two matches in Bloemfontein and made three changes for the final ODI, with Anrich Nortje and Keshav Maharaj also missing out.
Should they win the final game today, South Africa would boost their chances of automatically qualifying for the World Cup in India later this year with a defeat meaning they may have to go through the qualifiers in Zimbabwe.
Rilee Rossouw scored another century and Anrich Nortje shone with the ball as South Africa crushed Bangladesh by 104 runs at the T20 World Cup.
Rain frustratingly denied the Proteas an opening Group 2 win over Zimbabwe, but this time Rossouw made 109 from 56 balls and put on a stand of 163 with Quinton de Kock to help South Africa to 205-5 at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
It was a second T20I hundred in October for Rossouw, who made the first of his career against India on October 4, and set the tone for the match as Bangladesh wilted to 101 all out in their reply, thanks in a large part to the efforts of Nortje (4-10).
Each of his first three wickets came inside the opening five overs as Bangladesh's top order floundered, Litton Das' 34 off 31 their only score of note.
With their handsome victory, South Africa belatedly trouble the win column and have three points from two games, with Bangladesh having one win and one defeat to their name from their opening matches.
WILY RILEE SETS THE MARK
There were a couple of scary moments for Rossouw, who swung and missed off Hasan Mahmud in the 13th over and was put down by the same man in the following set of six.
But by and large it was a masterclass, with Rossouw smashing eight sixes and seven fours and taking the match away, alongside De Kock.
De Kock smashed 47 inside three overs against Zimbabwe when chasing a revised target of 64, only for the weather to deny him, but the wicketkeeper-batsman had 63 off 38 here (three sixes, seven fours).
NORTJE STIFLES BANGLADESH
The only slight concern for South Africa was possibly the runs they left on the field. They had 91 after 10 overs, and 171 after 15, but the final five yielded just 34 for the loss of three wickets.
They need not have worried, though, as Nortje's electric efforts had Najmul Hossain Shanto (9), Soumya Sarkar (15) and Shakib Al Hasan (1) traipsing back to leave Bangladesh 39-3 after 4.4 overs.
Tabraiz Shamsi finished with 3-20, including taking the wicket of Das, and Nortje returned to complete the job by bowling Taskin Ahmed (10).
South Africa were denied a winning start to their T20 World Cup campaign by rain in Hobart, with Quinton de Kock's Herculean effort against Zimbabwe ultimately going to waste.
Monday's contest was initially shortened to nine overs following a pre-match rain delay of over three hours, with another two overs being lost following a stoppage early in South Africa's innings.
Both sides open their Super 12 accounts with a point following a declaration of no result, which came with the Proteas requiring just 14 runs for victory following a fine innings from De Kock.
Inclement weather saw the teams exit the field after the national anthems, but South Africa looked set to begin their campaign with a win after starting well when play finally began.
Zimbabwe openers Craig Ervine (2) and Regis Chakabva (8) were gone within three overs, the former handing Wayne Parnell a routine catch before the latter feathered an edge through to De Kock.
When the former skipper made a spectacular one-handed catch to see off Sikandar Raza for a duck, Zimbabwe were faltering on 19-4, but eventually reached 79-5 thanks to Wessly Madhevere (35 not out) and Milton Shumba (18).
De Kock looked set to be the hero with the bat after the Proteas were set a revised target of 64.
Fellow opener Temba Bavuma (2 not out) was a mere spectator as De Kock reached 47 by the end of the third over, but the weather came to Zimbabwe's aid as the rain began to lash down once more, leaving the officials with little choice but to stop play altogether.
David Miller's stunning century proved to be in vain as India earned a 16-run victory over South Africa to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in their T20I series.
India cruised to an eight-wicket win in the low-scoring opener on Wednesday, but the runs flowed in Guwahati on Sunday as Suryakumar Yadav (61) and KL Rahul (57) helped the hosts post an imposing 237-3.
Suryakumar and Rahul both hit half-centuries in the first match, and they were at it again as South Africa's bowling attack failed to get control of the match, with only Keshav Maharaj (2-23) picking up wickets as the likes of Kagiso Rabada and Lungi Ngidi struggled.
India's score was their fourth-highest in T20Is, aided by important innings from captain Rohit Sharma (43) and Virat Kohli's unbeaten 49. Yadav's runs, meanwhile, came from just 22 balls, five of which he despatched for six.
South Africa's chase started woefully, as captain Temba Bavuma and Rilee Rossouw were both dismissed for nought by Arshdeep Singh in the second over.
Quinton de Kock and Miller fought to keep South Africa in the game, as former captain De Kock made a snappy 69 not out while Miller hit 106no from 47 balls.
Despite those efforts, the Proteas never truly threatened to chase the challenging total as they lost the series with a game left to play, finishing on 221-3. The third match takes place on Tuesday in Indore.
Record-setting Suryakumar
Suryakumar became the fastest player to reach 1,000 T20I runs in terms of balls faced, as he hit five fours and as many maximums to post his second half-century in a row.
He reached 1,000 T20I runs in 573 balls, 31 fewer than the previous record-holder Glenn Maxwell required, and helped India to set a huge target as the Proteas bowlers were carted to all parts.
Rabada struggles to make a dent
A key member of South Africa's pace attack, Rabada failed to make a significant impact as he finished with figures of 0-57 in his four overs.
The most expensive of the visitors' bowlers, Rabada was hit for 10 boundaries as India stormed to a total out of South Africa's reach.
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