MARKRAM AND NGIDI DRIVE SA TO VICTORY WIN OVER CANADA
South Africa's opening match of the T20 World Cup against Canada took place at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Monday. Aiden Markram led from the front with a brilliant 59 off just 32 balls, guiding the team to a commanding total of 213 for 4 before Lungi Ngidi took 3 quick wickets to ensure a comfortable 57-run victory.
Before opener Yuvraj Samra (12) was caught by the same combination, Ngidi had Canadian captain Dilpreet Bajwa caught behind by Quinton de Kock with the first ball of the run-chase, trying in vain to leave the ball.
The potential of an upset was eliminated when Canada was 45 for four inside the Power Play when Nicholas Kirton (4) drove Ngidi (4-0-31-4) to Kagiso Rabada at mid-on, and after Rabada bowled Shreyas Movva (9). The innings ended at 156 for eight.
Against a bowling attack that produced a few more loose deliveries than he is used to, South African captain Markram was at his best with a string of lavish cover drives and orthodox strokes, seemingly selecting holes at will. With SA's top order clearly eager to avoid any early alarms following a string of games over the first two days of the tournament in which "big" teams have been given early scares by Associate nations, De Kock's measured 25 from 22 balls was more due to the situation than the calibre of the attack.
The off-spinning Canadian captain Bajwa (4-0-40-1) bowled De Kock, and Ryan Rickelton's quick 33 off 21 balls (3x4, 1x6) ended with a misplaced pluck to long on against Ansh Patel, a left-arm wrist spinner. Dilon Heyliger, who was born in Guyana, made a beautiful running catch just inside the boundary rope after Markram (10x4, 1x6) flat-batted Patel (4-0-31-3) to the boundary. Dewald Brevis (6) then took the rightful Patel's third wicket with a toe-ended drive high to extra cover.
With 6.1 overs left, South Africa was barely in control of the innings at 138 for four. However, David Miller (39*) and Tristan Stubbs (34*) took total control with an uninterrupted partnership of 75, making the Proteas just the second team in the tournament to reach 200+ (after Scotland's victory over Italy earlier in the day). The two big-hitters took full advantage of the ideal platform, with Stubbs hitting two fours and sixes from just 19 balls and Miller hitting three sixes and four from 23 balls.
Although Harsh Thaker (33 from 29) and Navneet Dhaliwal (64 from 49 balls) solidified the Canadian innings, preventing a "blow-out" and significantly improving the scorecard's respectability, the outcome was always certain.
Stubbs was chosen at No. 6 ahead of Jason Smith, and Corbin Bosch was chosen over Anrich Nortje and Kwena Maphaka. South Africa chose four fast bowlers and one spinner, Keshav Maharaj.