T20I cricket has become about pushing the boundaries of the possible when it comes to run-scoring. Here, we examine some Proteas masterclasses in taking a bowler to the proverbial cleaners.

6. 26 runs off one over by Justin Ontong (1 6 6 6 6) and JP Duminy (1) against Kane Williamson | New Zealand vs South Africa in Wellington, February 2012

In the 13th over of the first T20I of South Africa’s 2012 tour to New Zealand, the Black Caps got away with part-time spinner Williamson going for just one run. Duminy got stuck on strike until the fifth ball. This prompted captain Brendon McCullum to give Williamson another over.

The 15th over started with South Africa on a paltry 75-4, and Ontong was looking to get a move on. He signalled his intent off the first ball, smearing it through square leg for one. Duminy learned his lesson from the previous over and turned the strike right back over.

Ontong had now identified exactly what he wanted to do to Williamson. He slogged the future New Zealand skipper over midwicket for three successive sixes before smashing a fourth over long on. At the time it was a South African record for runs in an over, but the Proteas lost the match after being brutalised by Martin Guptill.

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5. 26 runs off one over by Justin Ontong (4 6 wicket) and Albie Morkel (6 4 6) against Suresh Raina | South Africa vs India in Johannesburg, 30 March 2012

The Proteas entered the final over of their innings needing seven runs to cross a 200-run milestone total.

A platform had been laid by the efforts of Jacques Kallis – and eventual man of the match Colin Ingram – and the batsmen had the license to swing.

Facing up to Raina, Ontong deployed two slog-sweeps to great effect to score 10 off the first two balls, but the third time wasn’t the charm. He missed a straight one and was castled.

The new man in was Morkel, who gratefully accepted the dross Raina was sending down. Morkel tonked the first ball he faced over long on for maximum. A four and another six powered South Africa to 219 from their 20, enough to earn a win after rain halted the contest with India 71 without loss in the eighth over of their chase.

4. 26 runs off one over by David Miller (4 4 wide 1) and AB de Villiers (2 wide 6 nb 6) against Jade Dernbach | South Africa vs England in Chattogram, 3 March 2014

South African-born England seamer Jade Dernbach had been plundered for 26 runs in an over nearly two months before he was asked to bowl the 18th over of the World Twenty20 match against the Proteas.

Dernbach might have got a sense of deja vu after his first two balls were spanked for four by Miller.

When De Villiers pumped him for six to end the over and bring up his half-ton, the experience was complete, and Dernbach did not play another T20I for England.

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3. 26 runs off one over by Faf du Plessis (4 6 6 4 wicket) and David Wiese (6) against John Hastings | South Africa vs Australia in Johannesburg, March 2016

The fourth instance of South Africa taking 26 runs off a T20I over came at the Wanderers, with workmanlike Aussie paceman John Hastings the victim.

Du Plessis was at the peak of his powers and set about punishing Hastings in the final over of the Proteas’ innings.

Du Plessis holed out off the penultimate ball, but all-rounder Wiese managed to cross and hit the final delivery of the innings for six. It proved to be not enough, though, as Australia won a thriller off the last ball of the match.

2. 29 runs off one over by AB de Villiers (6 4 6 6 6 1) against Rashid Khan | South Africa vs Afghanistan in Mumbai, 20 March 2016

Khan has put some of the best players in the world in a spin, but there is no match for De Villiers when he is in the zone.

Khan made the mistake of giving De Villiers a sighter and saw the ball travel over midwicket for six to start the over. De Villiers pounded the rest of the over, hitting five boundaries before sneaking a single off the final ball to keep the strike.

It wasn’t the kind of bowling that propelled Khan to prominence. It was vintage AB, though.

1. 31 runs off one over by David Miller (6 6 6 6 6 1) against Mohammad Saifuddin | South Africa vs Bangladesh in Potchefstroom, October 2017

Saifuddin probably still has nightmares about bowling to Miller.

Bangladesh entered the penultimate over of the innings still hoping to keep the Proteas to under 200 at Senwes Park in Potchefstroom, but Miller was about to find another gear en route to five successive sixes and a single.

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