After being asked to bat first, the visitors posted a commanding 213 for 4, built around a stunning innings from Quinton de Kock, who smashed 90 off just 46 balls with 5 fours and 7 sixes.
De Kock controlled the innings from the top, punishing India’s pacers and setting the tone for South Africa’s highest T20I total on Indian soil.
Reeza Hendricks fell early for 8, but de Kock and skipper Aiden Markram (29 off 26) rebuilt steadily before launching an assault in the middle overs.
Dewald Brevis chipped in with a quick 14, while Donovan Ferreira (30* off 16) and David Miller (20* off 12) provided an explosive finish, adding 50 runs in the last four overs.
India’s bowlers endured a difficult outing, with Arshdeep Singh (0/54) and Jasprit Bumrah (0/45) going wicketless. Varun Chakravarthy was the standout performer, taking 2 for 29 in his four overs.
Chasing 214, India suffered an early collapse. Shubman Gill fell for a first-ball duck, and skipper Suryakumar Yadav managed only 5.
Although Tilak Varma played a brilliant counter-attacking knock of 62 off 34 balls, wickets kept falling around him.
Axar Patel (21), Jitesh Sharma (27 off 17) and Hardik Pandya (20 off 23) tried to revive the chase, but South Africa’s disciplined bowling restricted India to 162 all out in 19.1 overs.
Ottneil Baartman delivered a match-winning spell, claiming 4 for 24, while Marco Jansen and Lungi Ngidi picked up two wickets each.
