Saturday 12 March was exactly five years to the day since South Africa completed that run chase against Australia. The ghost of 438-9 past came to visit the India and Proteas clash in Nagpur as the World Cup continued to entertain while supporters continued to age about 10 year. Omens all-round.

India won the toss and chose to bat. No surprises, really. And, as expected, it was the Virender Sehwag and Sachin Tendulkar show as the two combined for a first-wicket partnership of 142. Tendulkar notched up his 99th international hundred (that’s in both Tests and ODIs).

Those in the know whispered that India have never won a World Cup match against a Test playing nation in which SRT scored a ton, but India were going along smoothly.

Super Sehwag added 73 and Guatam Gambhir 69 and it took until the 40th over for the gremlins to come out. Dale Steyn took five wickets and Robin Peterson chipped I n with two to dismantle the Indian batting attack.

Steyn finished with figures of five for 50 and India were all out for 296 in 48.4 overs.

Graeme Smith and Hashim Amla got off to a slow start, scoring just 41 runs in 8.3 overs. Smith was sent packing for 16 and Amla and Jacques Kallis lumbered on for a 86-run partnership. Kallis added 69 and AB de Villiers chipped in with 52, but it was only towards the end when things got a bit nervy and supporters were getting tense.

The Proteas needed 31 off the last three overs with four wickets in hand and Johan Botha hammered four and then six to help reduce the deficit. He was out straight after, though, and South African fans were back to biting whatever nails they had left.

The boys in green and gold needed 17 off 12 and it was up to Peterson and Faf du Plessis to do it. They managed just four off the 49th over, meaning 13 was required off six balls to win it. MS Dhoni opted to go with Ashish Nehra to bowl the final over.

Peterson seemed determined to redeem himself and back up his bowling as he started off the over with a four and followed it up with a massive six into cow corner. He dug out a yorker to take a couple and tie the match.

Robbie P sent South Africa into rapture as he slapped four through the covers and the ghost of 438-9 lived on.

Choke on that.