Kohli and Axar powered India to post 176 runs after losing seven wickets in the T20 World Cup final being played at Kensington Oval, Bridgetown on Saturday.
Virat Kohli top-scored for the Indian team by scoring 76 runs on 59 balls with the help of six fours and two sixes.
India had won the toss and chosen to bat first at the Kensington Oval.
India have been rattled early with South Africa sending back Rohit Sharma, Rishabh Pant, and Suryakumar Yadav.
It looked like an early collapse for Sharma’s side but a 72-run partnership between Kohli and Axar Patel brought the much-needed breakthrough for them.
Patel was hitting sixes and leading the charge against the Proteas but he uncertainly lost his wicket as Quinton de Kock ran him out for 47 runs.
Kohli continued to attack and soon completed his half-century on 48 balls, which was the slowest in T20Is. However, right after his 50, the 35-year-old accelerated innings and lost his wicket to Jesnen.
Shivam Dube contributed a valuable 27 runs on 16 balls. For Africa, Maharaj and Anrich Nortje picked two wickets each while Rabada and Jensen bagged one each.