Heinrich Klaasen’s masterful innings of 69 off just 30 balls at SuperSport Park is our Play of the Day.

South Africa won the game by six wickets, and although the 26-year-old Klaasen wasn’t in the middle at the end, the victory came courtesy of his bat.

REPORT: Proteas fire to level series

There were a number of standout performances at Centurion on Wednesday, but Klaasen’s time in the middle helped push South Africa over the line.

Manish Pandey, MS Dhoni and JP Duminy all put their hands up in the match, with their scores of 79, 52 and 64 respectively, but in the context of the game, Klaasen’s knock was the most valuable.

When it looked like India were beginning to edge ahead in the run rate, it was Klaasen’s seven sixes and three fours that dragged them back into contention. He took Yuzvendra Chahal apart during the game, and the spinner, who was monumental in India’s dominant ODI series win, will have nightmares for weeks to come.

It was even more special because Klaasen was playing in front of his home fans, and only in his second T20I for South Africa.

Klaasen’s form should give the selectors a lot to think about when Quinton de Kock eventually returns to the limited-overs arena.

Duminy, the Proteas T20I captain, will be hoping Klaasen is in the same mood when they face India in the series decider at Newlands in Cape Town on Saturday.

Photo: Samuel Shivambu/BackpagePix