Underdogs India turned title-aspirants as they thrashed South Africa to not only qualify for the semifinals but top their Super Eights group in the ICC Twenty20 World Championship at Kingsmead here on Thursday.
India's bowlers, seen as the weak link, delivered when most required to help defend a modest total of 153 in the group E match. The 37-run victory for India knocked the hosts out of the championship with New Zealand qualifying as the second team from the group.
India will now take on Australia in the semifinals on Saturday on this ground, where they have not lost a match in the championship so far and enjoy a lot of support from fans. New Zealand will play group F toppers Pakistan in the other last-four match on the same day in Cape Town.
The group engagements finished with India, New Zealand and South Africa at two wins each. South Africa, needing 126 to qualify at New Zealand's expense and 142 to top the intriguing group despite a loss, put up an insipid display.
One of the favourite teams at the beginning of this tournament, the Springboks were inflicted devastating blows early in their innings by Rudra Pratap Singh, who seems to be one of the better learners in the Indian team, never mind his fielding.
Singh trapped the dangerous Herschelle Gibbs lbw with a peach of an in-swinger, dismissed captain Graeme Smith caught in the slips to a superb catch by Dinesh Karthik and then bowled experienced all-rounder Shaun Pollock to make the most of the seaming conditions on a fresh pitch.
With S Sreesanth dismissing AB de Villiers and the big-hitting Justin Kemp run out to a fine direct throw from Rohit Sharma, South Africa were reduced to 31-5 chasing what had seemed a modest target.
Mark Boucher and Albie Morkel scored 36 apiece later in the innings but the paucity of wickets in hand put paid to their hopes. Singh came back to dismiss Albie to finish with 4-13 and with other bowlers too chipping in when required, the last nail went quite easily into the South African coffin.