Aiden Markram led from the front with a clinical 59 from just 32 balls to lead South Africa to a commanding total of 213 for four after being asked to bat first in their opening match of the T20 World Cup against Canada at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Monday.
The South African captain was at his classic best with a series of sumptuous cover drives and orthodox cricket shots, apparently picking gaps at will against a bowling attack which delivered a few more loose deliveries than he is accustomed to.
Quinton de Kock’s measured 25 from 22 balls owed more to the occasion than the quality of the attack, with SA’s top order evidently keen to ensure there were no early alarms after a series of matches over the first two days of the tournament in which ‘big’ teams have been given early scares by Associate nations.
De Kock was bowled by off-spinning Canadian captain Dilpreet Bajwa (4-0-40-1) and Ryan Rickelton’s brisk 33 from 21 balls (3x4, 1x6) ended with a miscued pull to long on against left arm wrist spinner Ansh Patel.
Markram (10x4, 1x6) flat-batted Patel (4-0-31-3) to long on where Guyana-born Dilon Heyliger held a stunning, running catch barely inside the boundary rope and Dewald Brevis (6) became the deserving Patel’s third wicket with a toe-ended drive high to extra cover.
South Africa were just about in control of the innings at 138 for four with 6.1 overs remaining, but David Miller (39*) and Tristan Stubbs (34*) took complete control with an unbroken partnership of 75, which saw the Proteas become the second team in the tournament so far (after Scotland against Italy) to post a 200+ total.
It was the perfect platform for the two big-hitters and they made the most of it with Miller blasting three sixes and four from 23 balls and Stubbs a pair of fours and sixes from only 19 balls.
South Africa opted for four fast bowlers and one spinner, Keshav Maharaj, with Corbin Bosch preferred to Anrich Nortje and Kwena Maphaka, while Tristan Stubbs was selected at No 6 ahead of Jason Smith.
SOUTH AFRICA: Quinton de Kock (wk), Aiden Markram (capt), Ryan Rickelton, Dewald Brevis, David Miller, Tristan Stubbs, Marco Jansen, Corbin Bosch, Kagiso Rabada, Keshav Maharaj, Lungi Ngidi
CANADA: Dilpreet Bajwa (capt), Yuvraj Samra, Navneet Dhaliwal, Nicholas Kirton, Shreyas Movva, Harsh Thaker, Saad Bin Zafar, Jaskaran Singh, Dilon Heyliger, Kaleem Sana, Ansh Patel