England stun South Africa by 2 wickets

England kept alive their World Cup hopes by defeating South Africa by two wickets while chasing down the mammoth 230-run target in a pulsating Super Ten match of ICC WT20 2016 at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium tonight.  

The English side rode on a brisk start by Roy and Hales, and were taken to the cusp of victory by Joe Root. Root contributed immensely to his team’s cause with a brilliant innings under pressure.

He was caught in the 19th over after scoring 83 from 44 balls, and smashed six fours and four sixes to keep the Proteas bowlers at bay. Root was instrumental in the fifth-wicket stand with Buttler.

Roy gave England the start they desperately needed with43 from only 16 balls.

For South Africa, Imran Tahir was the most economical bowler with 28 runs in four overs including a wicket. The rest of the bowlers conceded over ten runs per over at least.

England kept alive their World Cup hopes by defeating South Africa by two wickets while chasing down the mammoth 230-run target in a pulsating Super Ten match of ICC WT20 2016 at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium tonight. 

South Africa were back in the game after Imran Tahir conceded only five runs in the 16th over and took the wicket of Buttler.

Buttler scored 21 from 14 with a four and a six to his name.

England were going well with their fifth wicket stand between Root and Buttler, and produced 75 runs in six overs.

Even though runs came thick and fast, England lost their captain Morgan in the tenth over of their chase.

Duminy’s quicker arm-ball was too good for Morgan who perished after scoring 12 from 15 balls.

England were rocked in the fifth over of their chase when Abbott managed to dismiss opener Roy against the run of play.

Roy tried a scoop shot one time too many and was caught easily by the keeper. The English opener rattled the Proteas bowlers with his aggressive approach and hammered 43 from only 16 balls.

He treated the Wankhede crowd with five fours and three huge sixes.

South Africa manage to stop England’s opening stand in the third over, but not before Roy and Hales smashed 44 in the previous two.

Proteas pacer Abbott trapped Hales in front for 17. Hales faced seven balls and struck four fours in his brief knock.

Earlier, South Africa piled up the sixth highest T20I total after they reached 229 for four in 20 overs against the English side in the Super Ten match of ICC WT20 2016 at Mumbai.

Breezy half centuries from Quinton, Amla and Duminy in the end pushed the Proteas to their third highest T20I total.

All the English bowlers suffered at the hands of South African batsmen. Moin Ali was took two wickets for 34 runs while Willey and Rashid captured a wicket each.

On a hellish day for England bowlers, Topley conceded 16.50 runs in two overs, Jordan 16.33 in three, Stokes 11.50 in two while Root gave away 13 runs in his single over.

The fifth wicket partnership for South Africa between Miller and Duminy produced 60 runs in 4.3 overs. Duminy was not out on 54 from 28 while Miller was at 28 from 12 only.

England came back into the match with wickets late in the innings. Willey sent back Proteas skipper du Plessis for 17 in the 16th over.

Faf tried to score quickly, but hammered his shot straight into the hands of Roy at deep mid-wicket.

England took the key wicket in the 12th over bowled by Moin Ali. Ali trapped Amla in front with a full, flat delivery.

Amla reached his fourth T20I fifty, and was stopped at 58. He faced 31 balls and struck seven fours and three sixes during his impressive innings.

South Africa lost their second wicket, that of AB de Villiers when the Proteas batter sliced his shot to Morgan at cover after smashing couple of sixes in Rashid’s over.

AB scored 16 from 8 balls before he fell against the run of play in the ninth over.

After carting the pacers all around the park, Quinton de Kock perished in the 8th over when he found the man in the deep with his flick.

De Kock continued to give the bowling merry hell but his shot came off the toe of the bat. He scored 52 from only 24 balls and smashed seven fours and three sixes.

South Africa were all over England.

Quinton de Kock helped himself to a flying start as England bowlers gave him width to play with early. The Proteas opener entertained the Wankhede crowd with some majestic shots on the off side.

England had a chance to remove Amla in the fourth over but Topley dropped the catch at mid-off.

England skipper Eoin Morgan won the toss and decided to field first against South Africa led by Faf du Plessis in the Super ten Group 1 match of ICC WT20 2016 at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium.

England's ICC World Twenty20 campaign began on a terrible note, with their bowlers pummeled into submission by Chris Gayle at the Wankhede Stadium on Wednesday.

Eoin Morgan, their captain, looked in a daze as he tried to front up to the media after the shellacking, which has extended to four England's losing streak to West Indies in the tournament and left them needing to win their remaining matches.

England are uncomfortably well acquainted with early exits from world events, so there's no disguising the peril that they once again find themselves in.

The World T20's main event has barely got underway and yet, if England fail to turn an ebbing tide, they will be teetering on the brink before any other Group 1 side has played their second game.

South Africa's first tournament outing places them in a familiar situation - they are among the favoured sides and the weight of expectation has only been enhanced by India's shocking loss to New Zealand.

South Africa, led by Faf du Plessis, are a very strong side but as with most South African sides of the past, questions hang over their ability to last the distance at ICC tournaments.

After the England series, they were beaten 2-1 by Australia and the two losses in that series threw up concerns over their ability to win the most crucial moments. Starting their campaign against a wounded England could be advantageous.

Both teams cancelled their scheduled training sessions on Thursday, so team combinations can be gauged by their most recent playing XIs.

South Africa lead England 7-3 in T20Is including 3-1 in World Twenty 20s. The Proteas beat England 2-0 the last time these two met in South Africa last month. After winning the trophy in 2010, England have won just three matches out of ten in the subsequent World T20s.

England

EJG Morgan (Captain), MM Ali, SW Billings, JC Buttler (Wicketkeeper), LA Dawson, AD Hales, CJ Jordan, LE Plunkett, AU Rashid, JE Root, JJ Roy, BA Stokes, RJW Topley, JM Vince and DJ Willey

South Africa

F du Plessis (Captain), KJ Abbott, HM Amla, F Behardien, Q de Kock (Wicektkeeper), AB de Villiers (Wicektkeeper), JP Duminy, Imran Tahir, DA Miller, CH Morris, AM Phangiso, K Rabada, RR Rossouw, DW Steyn and D Wiese

The official coin of ICC World T20 2016 at India used for the toss. Photo: ICC