The left-handed batsman opened the Proteas innings with a scintillating knock, hitting just 55 deliveries, with a combination of power hitting and deaf strokes to take the tourists to 207-3 in their 20 overs. Rilee Rossouw added 72 runs for the second wicket with opener Reeza Hendrix.
England could not recover from the early wickets of captain Jos Buttler and David Malan in the powerplay, as well as a struggling innings from Jason Roy, also pushed England back in the match.
South Africa were sluggish on the field in Bristol on Wednesday but here Keshav Maharaj took a brilliant diving catch at the boundary to dismiss Moeen Ali. Another brilliant catch from Lungi Ngidi removed in-form Jonny Bairstow to lift England’s hopes. But turned the water away.
Tabrez Shamsi was the standout bowler taking 3-27, while Andile Phehlukwayo claimed 3-39 as England were bowled out for 149 with three overs to spare.
The deciding T20 is on Sunday at the Ageas Bowl in Southampton. This was South Africa’s perfect performance after a poor show in the first T20.
Back on the international stage after six years as a Kolpak player, Rilee Rossouw led from the front with a fine knock of 10 fours and five sixes, including a big hit from Adil Rashid, who walked off the field and into the river. He narrowly escaped by landing.
Rossouw, who starred for Somerset in the T20 Blast this year, came to the crease in the fourth over when Quinton de Kock was dismissed for 15 and played a crucial partnership with Hendrix.
England thought they had removed Rossouw at 37 when a review showed he had left one behind – but replays also showed the ball had bounced before it landed in wicketkeeper Butler’s glove.
Heinrich Klaasen played a brilliant innings of 19 runs in 10 balls before Tristan Stubbs came to the crease. Later, Stubbs scored 15 runs in 12 balls and supported Rossouw, who seemed in the mood.
Buttler gave England a quick start and hit one six and one bounced four after one off Phehlukwayo’s delivery. But the South African right-armer made a comeback on the next ball when the England captain mistimed a big shot and the ball went straight into Hendricks’ hands.
A slow left-hander Maharaj pulled Malan straight up for Proteas keeper de Kock and put England on the backfoot 48-2 in the powerplay.
Roy’s continued out-of-form is a matter of growing concern. He was dismissed in the ninth over, playing Shamsi at mid-off and scored 20 runs in 22 balls.
The Surrey right-handed batsman has scored just 59 runs in 80 balls in five T20 innings this summer and with only 11 T20 matches left until the Word Cup in autumn, there could be a selection dilemma for England.
Credit should go to South Africa for some excellent fielding after a flawed performance in the series opener, with Maharaj caught at full effort at the long-on boundary to dismiss Moeen for 28. When Sam Curran dismissed the same fielder four balls later, England were rolled at 92-5 and needed something extraordinary to win the match.
This proved to be even ahead of Bairstow, who is in the form of his life but had little to do, his dismissal for 30 triggered a collapse that saw England lose their last five wickets for just 21 runs.