Root inspires England World T20 win over South Africa

A magnificent??innings from Joe Root stunned South Africa as England pulled off the highest successful run chase in a World Twenty20 to secure a??dramatic two-wicket??victory in Mumbai.??

England were blown away by a sublime century from West Indies opener Chris Gayle in their first Group 1 game??at??Wankhede Stadium on Wednesday and the Proteas put the England bowlers to the sword two days later.

Openers??Quinton de Kock (52 from 24 balls) and??Hashim Amla (58 off 31) got South Africa off to a flyer in their opening match in Mumbai before JP Duminy (54 not out off 28) got them up to 229-4 - the second-highest total in a World T20 match.

But Jason Roy (43 off 16) led from the front and Root (83 off 44) showed he is the man for the big occasion, with??England pulling??off the second-highest run chase in a T20 international to??seal??a victory they needed to have any realistic hopes of reaching the semi-finals.

De Kock and Amla took a liking to the England bowling attack in the recent limited overs series in South Africa and the openers gave them the treatment once again in a rapid??start which set the tone.

Amla and De Kock??both smashed three sixes and seven fours as they put on 96 for the first wicket in just seven??overs before Moeen Ali (2-34) got rid of both openers, but Duminy got in on the act with some clean hitting as the bowlers continued to suffer.

It appeared to be??inconceivable that??England could chase down such an imposing target, but Roy and Hales (17 from 7 balls) gave the Proteas a dose of their own medicine by putting on 48 in just 2.3 overs.

Kyle Abbott (3-41) made amends for dropping Hales by trapping him leg before and also brought an end to Roy's??scintillating knock and??the runs dried up for England as Ben Stokes and Eoin Morgan failed.

Root then??cut loose with support from??Jos??Buttler (21), with the England batsman mixing classy strokes??with improved shots and Moeen (8??not out) hit the winning runs with two balls to spare??after two wickets fell in a??dramatic final over.