With India at 186-3 after 18 overs, Aiden Markram summoned Burger to bowl the 19th. After leaking 33 off his three overs, Burger’s objective was to contain a rampaging Suryakumar Yadav (97 off 53) and Rinku Singh (13 off 8).

He didn’t disappoint and started with two yorkers, conceding only two runs off the first two deliveries before dismissing Rinku Singh with the third ball by targeting his armpit, forcing him to hole out at fine leg. Despite a boundary from Jitesh Sharma on the penultimate ball, Burger only went for six runs and was instrumental in keeping India, who were looking well set for a target exceeding 220, at 201-7.

Burger consistently ramped up the pace in his spell and was clocked at 149 kph on the speed gun. He returned with modest figures of 1-39 but showed glimpses of the things to come.

Serious pace on show from South Africa’s Nandre Burger on T20I debut.#SAvIND pic.twitter.com/r2cMIBFQGk

— Wisden (@WisdenCricket) December 14, 2023

Burger, hailing from Krugersdorp, a mining city in the West Rand, Gauteng Province of South Africa, has put in the hard yards before making his international debut, with injuries hampering his progress through his career. A seasoned campaigner in domestic cricket, he kicked off his first-class career for Gauteng in the 2016 Three-Day Cup and has 122 wickets under his belt from 40 first-class matches with best figures of 5-36 and a bowling average of 27.85.

The pacer made his List-A debut for Gauteng under the leadership of Devon Conway in the 2017-2018 Provincial One-Day Challenge and starred, finishing with 19 scalps from seven games at an astonishing average of 11.84 and an impressive economy of 3.52. His 3-37 in the final went in vain as Gauteng had to settle for a runners-up finish, but it was a solid start to his List-A career nonetheless.

He has 58 wickets in that format from 39 games at 28.86 apiece while going at 5.10 runs per over. His career-best 6-38 came while representing Western Province against the Lions in the CSA One Day Cup in 2023.

His List-A exploits seeped into T20s as well, as he inspired his side Gauteng to win the now-defunct Africa T20 Cup in 2018/19, bagging 11 wickets in six outings, the most in the competition, while averaging 10.45 and conceding only 5.79 per over.

Burger has pedigree against international opposition, impressing in a practice match against England’s Test squad in 2019, sending Joe Root and Jos Buttler packing. The dismissals emphasised his all-format credentials as a future superstar for South Africa.

He received his maiden call-up to South Africa’s T20I squad for their tour to Pakistan in 2021. However, an international debut eluded him until 2023, when he was picked for the series against India on home soil on the back of a good domestic season. A spectacular haul of 5-9, including six maidens, in a first-class fixture between Western Province and the Lions in September was the highlight of his domestic form.

In the SA20, which is South Africa’s franchise T20 competition, Burger currently plies his trade for Joburg Super Kings, the sister franchise of Chennai Super Kings. The side has retained him for SA20 2024 as well.

While these are still early days for the newest pace recruit for South Africa, if given opportunities, he could be a speedster to bank upon, emerging as a viable backup for injured left-arm pacer Wayne Parnell in next year’s T20 World Cup.