Ahmedabad, February 22 India found themselves in deep trouble in the middle of the match, losing half their team while trying to reach the target of 188 set by South Africa in their T20 World Cup Group 1 Super Eights match here on Sunday.
After a steady start from the Proteas bowlers, Lungi Ngidi kept things tight, conceding only seven runs in his first two overs.
The pressure mounted in the 10th over when captain Suryakumar Yadav (18) was dismissed by Corbin Bosch.
Attempting to hit a length ball down the leg side, Suryakumar mistimed it off the toe-end straight to Dewald Brevis at mid-wicket, ending his resistance and leaving India at 51/5 in 9.1 overs.
Earlier, India had managed 31 for three in the powerplay after losing three wickets in the first five overs.
Washington Sundar and Suryakumar tried to rebuild, with Washington briefly shifting momentum by hitting Keshav Maharaj for a six over deep backward square leg.
However, just as India looked to recover, Bosch struck again.
Washington chased a delivery away from his body and managed only a thick edge, with Quinton de Kock completing a simple catch behind the stumps.
India's troubles began early.
Abhishek Sharma ended his streak of three successive ducks with an enterprising 15 off 12 balls (2x4, 1x6), hitting a boundary off Aiden Markram before upper-cutting Kagiso Rabada for six and punching a full toss through cover point.
But his innings was cut short by a stunning catch from Bosch, handing Marco Jansen his second wicket.
Markram had earlier set the tone by dismissing the in-form Ishan Kishan for a four-ball duck in the opening over, putting India on the back foot from the outset.
Earlier, David Miller played some exhilarating strokes but Jasprit Bumrah's superb initial and end performance restricted South Africa to 187/7.
Miller scored 63 off 35 balls and received excellent support from young Dewald Brevis (45 off 29 balls) as the duo put on a 97-run fourth-wicket stand that came off just 51 balls.
Bumrah (3/15 in 4 overs) and Arshdeep Singh (2/28 in 4 overs) had reduced the Proteas to 20/3 inside the first four overs after they had opted to bat.
