India, Feb. 28 -- It was smooth sailing against Afghanistan for South Africa, until it turned into a scramble. It has been smooth sailing other than that for the T20 World Cup's only unbeaten side. South Africa have been so switched on in this campaign that they have turned most of their games into a sort of snooze fest.

As Aiden Markram's team looks to turn unfinished business from 2024 into a job well done, it is not just that they look a formidable unit. That has been the case at every World Cup since South Africa's re-entry into international cricket at the 1991-2 ODI tournament. But this time, the Proteas do know what it feels like to be on top of the world.

What a difference a year can make? At Lord's last summer, South Africa tur...