DHARAMSALA: Jean-Paul Duminy struck a power-packed 68 off 34 deliveries Friday to overshadow a sparkling century by Rohit Sharma as South Africa defeated India by seven wickets in the opening Twenty20 game of a three-match series.

The left-handed Duminy virtually turned the match on its head with his undefeated assault, which included seven sixes and one four, to help South Africa reach 200-3 in 19.4 overs after India had put up a challenging 199-5 in its 20 overs.

In the company of Farhaan Behardien (32 not out), Duminy dominated both pace bowlers and spinners with ease, smashing three successive sixes off left-arm spinner Axar Patel.

Duminy and Behardien shared an unbroken 105-run, fourth-wicket partnership which came after South Africa had slipped from 77-0 to 95-3 after a fine opening stand between A.B. de Villiers (51) and Hashim Amla (36).

“This was definitely one of my best innings,” Duminy said. “The way we started the innings was what we wanted in the chase ... It's a long tour for us but we have started well and we are happy with this performance.”

Earlier, opener Rohit Sharma again displayed his prowess in limited overs cricket. He became only the second Indian to score a century in T20s with his 66-ball 106. Suresh Raina was the first with 103.

Rohit, the only batsman in the world to score two double-centuries in one-day internationals, also became only the second Indian to score centuries in all three formats of the game after Raina.

He struck five sixes and 12 fours which included a number of pull shots on a pitch that played true. He shared a 138-run, second-wicket stand with test captain Virat Kohli (43) as the two dominated the middle overs and put the team in a position to score well over 200.

The opener reached his century off just 62 deliveries with a six off De Lange to move from 97 to 103, but was out soon after as he top-edged a pull shot and was ably caught by Chris Morris at deep fine leg off Kyle Abbott.

With Kohli out earlier in the same over — after striking three sixes and one four off 27 deliveries — India slowed down a little. But captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni (20 not out) struck a last-ball six off Abbott to ensure the target was not less than 200.

The series comprises two more T20 games — at Cuttack on Monday and Kolkata on Thursday. It will be followed by five one-day internationals and four tests in South Africa's longest ever tour of India, stretching to 72 days.