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Joe Root hit a superb 83 off 44 balls, as England cruised to 229 for six, before losing two quick wickets to send the butterflies into a spin.
However, Moeen Ali kept his cool, and with three balls left, he hit Kyle Abbott straight down the park to seal the biggest successful World T20 victory, and second-biggest overall.
Earlier, Quinton de Kock and Hashim Amla struck half-centuries at the top while JP Duminy provided the late assault as South Africa posted a massive 229-4.
England were on the receiving end of a brutal onslaught from West Indies opener Chris Gayle during Wednesday’s defeat when their spinners struggled to grip the wet ball and that prompted captain Eoin Morgan to field after winning the toss.
But Amla (58) and De Kock (52) continued to torment the English bowlers, plundering 96 runs off seven overs during an explosive opening stand.
South Africa, one of the favourites to win the tournament, opted to use Amla and De Kock as openers and it proved it was the right decision from the onset.
De Kock, who thrashed David Willey for 20 in the third over, hit seven fours and three sixes during his 24-ball knock before he fell to offspinner Moeen Ali.
Amla, who was dropped on nine by Reece Topley off Ali, hit an identical number of boundaries before falling to the offspinner.
Duminy (54 not out) and David Miller (28 not out) provided the finishing touches for South Africa with an unbroken fifth-wicket stand of 60.
England paceman Chris Jordan conceded four fours and a six in the fifth over and finished with figures of 0-49 in three overs. Topley gave away 33 in his two overs.
WICKETS
ENGLAND: JJ Roy, AD Hales, JE Root, JC Buttler (wk), EJG Morgan (capt), BA Stokes, MM Ali, CJ Jordan, AU Rashid, DJ Willey, RJW Topley
SOUTH AFRICA: Q de Kock (wk), HM Amla, F du Plessis (capt), AB de Villiers, JP Duminy, DA Miller, CH Morris, KJ Abbott, DW Steyn, K Rabada, Imran Tahir
© Reuters
Online Reporter