England secure sensational two-wicket victory after Joe Root masterclass against South Africa in World Twenty20

England revived their World Twenty20 semi-final hopes in the most staggering fashion, pulling off one of their greatest chases in any format to stun South Africa and put Wednesday's Chris Gayle-shaped nightmare behind them.

A high-class 83 by Joe Root from just 44 balls helped Eoin Morgan's team to 233 for eight, and victory – as desperately needed as it was scarcely credible – with two balls to spare.

If there was a late twist, with two wickets falling and the scores level, then England minded not one bit. Following the disappointment of the defeat by West Indies, this was redemption with a capital 'R'. 

Yorkshire star Joe Root bats for England during the World Twenty20 clash with the Proteas in Mumbai

Root hit an unbeaten 83 as England sealed a famous win with the second-highest run-chase in history

Jason Roy hits a six during Friday's World Twenty20 match against South Africa in Mumbai

Alex Hales plays a shot while batting for England against South Africa at the Wankhede Stadium

'At the halfway stage we were up against it,' said Root. 

'But the fact that we can pull off performances like that with the bat will give us a lot of confidence going into the rest of the group stage, and hopefully further on in the tournament as well.

'You've always got a chance in this format, and with the depth in our batting, we always knew that if we got off to a good start we were more than capable of winning that game. 

'The guys kept very calm under pressure and managed to hold their nerve.' 

That makes it sound straightforward. But only once before, when West Indies made 236 for six to beat South Africa at Johannesburg in January 2015, has a team chased more to win a game of Twenty20. 

In truth, this was a memorable night for English cricket.

For a while, proceedings had threatened to put even the mauling by Gayle, on the same ground two evenings earlier, in the shade. 

South Africa had cavorted to 229 for four, with sixes raining down as if the monsoon had arrived early and a lively crowd enjoying every blow. 

England's seam bowling was a shambles, and social media reverberated to the sound of mockery. 

South Africa's Imran Tahir appeals after taking the wicket of England's Jos Buttler

South Africa bowler Kagiso Rabada celebrates after taking the wicket of Ben Stokes

South Africa bowler Kyle Abbott wheels away to celebrate the dismissal of Hales

But desperation has a funny way of focussing the mind. 

It was now or never: pull off the chase of their lives – or face ignominy at a global event for the umpteenth time. 

Put like that, it wasn't much of a choice. And so England set about saving their reputations. 

The early impetus came from Jason Roy, who carted four fours in Kagiso Rabada's opening over and helped take 23 off the second, bowled by a strangely unimposing Dale Steyn. 

Kyle Abbott trapped Alex Hales soon after, but England had 48 on the board – and the third over was not even complete.

From there, belief pulsated through the team, happily confirming that the exciting progress made by Morgan's white-ball teams since the debacle of last year's 50-over World Cup was grounded in reality after all.

Everyone chipped in. Roy eventually went for 43, made from 16 balls rich in talent and impudence, and Ben Stokes – promoted to No 3 – hit 15 in nine. 

Jos Buttler later contributed 21 in 14. Wickets were falling, but England were up with the rate. And Root was refusing to budge. 

More than that, he was scoring at two a ball without ever looking remotely like slogging. 

South Africa's Quinton de Kock plays a shot en route to scoring a half century against England

England's Reece Topley reacts after dropping a catch during Friday's World Twenty20 clash

Moeen Ali (centre) is congratulated by his team-mates after taking the wicket of Hashim Amla

South Africa batsman Amla strikes the ball during the World Twenty 20 clash with England

The reverse lap for six off Chris Morris which brought up a 29-ball half-century could have been the work of Buttler, watching admiringly from the other end. 

The chase was managed to perfection: 112 needed off 10 overs, 70 off seven, 42 off four. Even Root's departure, caught at deep backward square off Rabada with 11 required, would not deny England – though they kept their supporters waiting when Chris Jordan and David Willey perished with one run needed.

As much as anything, Root's excellence helped mask another shaky performance from England's seamers, as Quinton de Kock, Hashim Amla and JP Duminy all bashed rapid fifties.

While the spin of Moeen Ali and Adil Rashid claimed a creditable three for 69 from eight overs between them, the pace of Willey, Reece Topley, Jordan and Stokes went for 145 from 11. 

The press-box scorer briefly referred to Topley as 'Topple', which seemed cruelly appropriate in the circumstances.

But England's young left-armer was not the only one struggling with his equilibrium, and changes could be made ahead of Wednesday's game against Afghanistan in Delhi. 

On pitches that are expected to take more turn than Mumbai's Wankhede, left-arm spinner Liam Dawson could enter the mix.

For now, though, England were content just to breathe again. And, if their bowling attack starts pulling its weight, they may just allow themselves to reflect that anything is possible. 

England's hopes have of reaching the World Twenty20 semi-finals have been boosted after the win

England batsmen Adil Rashid (left) and Ali embrace after the two-wicket win is confirmed