India vs South Africa highlights, T20 World Cup 2026 Super 8: Clinical South Africa crush India by 76 runs

Shivam Dube manages to take a wicket in the form of dangerous Dewald Brevis but concedes 17 runs in the process. Can India take a couple of more wickets to pull this back?

SIX! Shivam Dube bowls a NO BALL. Free hit coming up. David Miller whacks the ball over sweep cover region for a biggie. That's his half century as well. What a knock from the experienced batter.

SOUTH AFRICA 126/4 in 12.4 overs vs INDIA

WICKET!

Shivam Dube ends Dewald Brevis' stay at 45. A crucial breakthrough for India as the dangerous 97-run partnership comes to an end. Dube digs it in short outside off at 123 kmph. Brevis looks to force the pull but mistimes it badly, getting a thick top edge. The ball goes high into the night sky towards deep mid-wicket but doesn’t have the distance. Abhishek Sharma runs in from the boundary and completes a safe catch near his chest. Brevis knew instantly he hadn’t middled it. India will look to build on this wicket.


SOUTH AFRICA 117/4 in 12.2 overs vs INDIA

SIX! Shivam Dube to Dewald Brevis. The right hander has hit this high. It is too high in the air. Has he cleared the fence? Yes, he has. The ball lands safely over long-off.

1 Wd 4 1 B1 1 Wd Wd 1 - A big over from Varun Chakaravarthy

12 runs off his over

3 wides in the over.

SOUTH AFRICA 111/3 in 12 overs vs INDIA

FOUR! Varun Chakaravarthy to David Miller. The left hander goes on backfoot and slaps this with power. There is a misfileding by Suryakumar Yadav. The ball races towards deep extra cover region for a boundary.

SOUTH AFRICA 106/3 in 11.3 overs vs INDIA

Full toss and punished! That's a juicy full toss from Shivam Dube. Dewald Brevis smokes this over long on region. It's raining sixes and boundaries at the moment. 15 runs off Shivam Dube's over.

SOUTH AFRICA 99/3 in 11 overs vs INDIA

That's hammered by Dewald Brevis. That's overpitched from Shivam Dube. The South African whacks this straight down the ground. The fielder at long off runs but he is way out of the reach.

Brevis vs seamers since SA20 2025/26

Full (less than 6m): 0/80 (43 balls)
Good (6-8m): 2/39 (50 balls)
Short (more than 8m): 7/148 (87 balls)
Close to half the deliveries he received from seamers have been short (more than 8m).

SIX! David Miller makes full use of the free hit. He plays this with bottom hand. Powerful shot from Miller. Miller dispatches Pandya over long on for a 88m six. Pandya isn't happy with this.

11 runs off Pandya's over.

SOUTH AFRICA 84/3 in 10 overs vs INDIA

That's a typics Dwald Brevis shot. No look six. He stands tall and smokes the ball over Varun Chakaravarthy's head. What a shot from the righ hander.

17 runs off Varun's over.

SOUTH AFRICA 73/3 in 9 overs vs INDIA

SIX! David Miller clears his front leg, picks the length and whacks Varun Chakaravarty over long on fence. Suryakumar Yadav is watching the ball from the start to its landing. What a shot!

SOUTH AFRICA 63/3 in 8.3 overs vs INDIA

Superb over for South Africa. First Dewald Brevis and now David Miller. Miller signs off Washington Sundar's over with a boundary towards extra cover region. Excellent shot from the left hander.

11 runs off Sundar's over.

SOUTH AFRICA 52/3 in 7 overs vs INDIA

Suryakumar Yadav brings Washington Sundar into the attack.

Dewald Brevis welcomes the spinner with a boundary towards deep extra cover region.

South Africa endured a mixed Powerplay, reaching 41/3 in six overs against India. Arshdeep Singh set the tone early, extracting swing in the opening over and troubling the batters straight away.

Jasprit Bumrah then struck a big blow, cleaning up Quinton de Kock soon after a boundary. Arshdeep continued his impact by removing skipper Aiden Markram.

Ryan Rickelton briefly counterattacked, launching the first six of the innings, but Bumrah deceived him with a clever slower ball to claim another wicket.

David Miller provided late momentum, smashing back-to-back fours off Varun Chakravarthy in an 11-run over, and followed it up with two more boundaries off Arshdeep.

FOUR! FOUR! A good way to end the Powerplay. David Miller hits Arshdeep Singh for two boundaries in this over. Both the shots are elegant ones.

10 runs off Arshdeep Singh's over

That's the end of Powerplay

SOUTH AFRICA 41/3 in 6 overs vs INDIA

FOUR! Varun Chakaravarthy to David Miller. Miller gets lucky here. He gets an edge and the ball races towards third man region. Superb delivery from Varun. He isna clever bowler with multiple varations with him.

WICKET!

Jasprit Bumrah strikes again. Ryan Rickelton goes for 7 runs. Bumrah has rattled South Africa's start. Clever delivery from Bumrah. Another breakthrough for India. Bumrah outfoxes Rickelton with a clever off-cutter. He pitches it full on middle and off, taking the pace off the ball. Rickelton, looking to press forward and push through the line, is deceived by the change in speed. The bat turns in his hands and he ends up chipping it tamely towards mid-off. Shivam Dube reacts quickly, bending low to take a sharp catch just inches above the ground. A timely strike from Bumrah.

SOUTH AFRICA 20/3 in 4 overs vs INDIA

SIX! That's a poor delivery from Arshdeep Singh. Too much down the leg from the left-arm pacer. Ryan Rickleton pulls this over square leg fence. That's a brilliant shot from the left hander.


SOUTH AFRICA 19/2 in 3 overs vs INDIA

WICKET! Arshdeep strikes too. This time South Africa lose Aiden Markram for 4 runs. Overpitched from Arshdeep, Markram goes for a drive but finds Hardik Pandya at mid off. A simple catching practice for Pandya. India are off to flying start.

SOUTH AFRICA 13/2 in 2.5 overs vs INDIA

De Kock vs Bumrah in T20s

Eight innings
29 runs
27 balls
Three dismissals
Avg 9.66
SR 107.40

WICKET! Jasprit Bumrah gets breakthrough. Quinton De Kock falls for 6 runs. Massive wicket for India. Bumrah strikes first over. That's through the gate. QDK tries to go big, misses this completely and ball destroys the stumps. Bumrah gives first success to the team.

SOUTH AFRICA 10/1 in 1.5 overs vs INDIA

FOUR! Full toss and punished. Quinton de Kock hammers this one towards sweep cover region for a boundary. First boundary of the match and South Africa as well.

What a start from India.

Arshdeep bowled a tight first over. He didn't let De Kock and Markram find a single fence in this over. Superb stuff from him. Just 4 runs off his over.

SOUTH AFRICA 4/0 in 1 over vs INDIA

De Kock vs Arshdeep in T20s

12 innings
98 runs
68 balls
Five dismissals
Avg 19.60
SR 144.11

Markram vs Arshdeep in T20s

17 innings
107 runs
93 balls
Six dismissals
Avg 17.83
SR 115.05

South Africa openers Aiden Markram and Quinton De Kock are in the middle

Arshdeep Singh will open the attack for India

Only twice have a visiting team opted to bat first in a T20I vs India in India have ended up winning.

New Zealand in Nagpur 2016 | New Zealand in Rajkot 2017.

An exciting clash on the cards between the defending champions and the runners up.

Here we go ... !!!

It's time for national anthems

First South Africa, then India

Electric atmosphere in Ahmedabad

South Africa captain Aiden Markram wins toss, opts to bat vs India

South Africa’s march to the Super 8s has been equally impressive. They opened with a comfortable 57-run win over Canada, then edged Afghanistan in a dramatic double Super Over thriller in Ahmedabad.

While many tipped New Zealand to pose the stiffest challenge in the group, the Proteas handled them clinically.

They capped off the stage by chasing down 123 against the UAE in under 14 overs.

It’s been a balanced campaign — two wins while chasing and two while defending. Of their 31 wickets, 24 have come from pacers, underlining their seam strength.

Lungi Ngidi leads with eight wickets in three games, while captain Aiden Markram has scored 178 runs at a strike rate of 187.37.

In Ahmedabad, South Africa have won three of four matches.

India’s road to the Super 8s has been commanding, with only a brief wobble along the way. After a minor scare against the USA, they responded in emphatic fashion, hammering Namibia by 93 runs.

The marquee clash against Pakistan turned out to be comfortable, before India signed off the group stage with a 17-run win over the Netherlands.

Notably, all four victories came while defending, and they won the toss just once — against the Netherlands.

Ishan Kishan tops the scoring charts with 176 runs at a blistering strike rate of 202.30, while Varun Chakravarthy leads the bowling with nine wickets at 6.89.

Pacers and spinners have shared the load almost equally, underlining India’s balance. Even with Abhishek Sharma yet to open his account, India have looked dominant.

At Ahmedabad, they have won seven of nine matches.

India captain Suryakumar Yadav and all-rounder Hardik Pandya have stepped out to the middle for their warm-up, bats in hand, dressed casually in shorts and T-shirts as they get a feel of the conditions.

Head coach Gautam Gambhir has also joined them on the turf, observing closely ahead of the high-stakes clash. It’s a meeting of the two most dominant T20 World Cup sides since 2024.

India boast a perfect record, winning all 12 of their matches, while South Africa’s only loss in 13 games came in the 2024 final — against India.

When India take on South Africa in their opening Super 8 clash of the T20 World Cup at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday, the spotlight will not only be on the players but also on an extraordinary family duel unfolding behind the scenes.

For the first time on such a stage, brothers Morne Morkel and Albie Morkel will stand in rival camps, serving as India’s bowling coach and South Africa’s consultant respectively, each tasked with plotting the other’s downfall in a high-stakes rematch of the 2024 final.

In a video shared by the BCCI, Albie summed up his mission with a smile and a warning. “Specialist consultant is a mouthful. In short, I have to figure out ways to beat Team India on Sunday. That’s it,” he said. “We actually coached together in our first stint; that’s where I shaped him to be a very good bowling coach. Showed him how to do it.”

Morne acknowledged the intense expectations that come with his role but stressed the strength of India’s support system. “As a bowling coach, there’s always a lot of pressure on you. But we’re quite lucky that in our group, there’s a lot of experience… people that can assist and help you in that mental load,” he said.

Despite the personal connection, both brothers made it clear that sentiment will not dilute their professional focus. “He works for India, I work for South Africa, and we both have the same goal — to win that game on Sunday,” Albie said. “The family will do the banter. We’re very calm and professional.”

Their rivalry, however, dates back to childhood. “Most of the backyard games ended up in either argument or tears,” Albie laughed. “I remember him crying a lot because he was the youngest.”

Both sides enter the contest unbeaten, raising the stakes further.

As defending champions India prepare for a high-stakes Super 8 showdown against South Africa in Ahmedabad, former all-rounder Irfan Pathan has pinpointed the technical and tactical adjustments Abhishek Sharma must make to overcome his alarming slump at the ICC Men's T20 World Cup.

Abhishek, the world’s No. 1 T20I batter, has endured a nightmare run, registering a hat-trick of ducks and struggling particularly against off-spin. Pathan believes the root cause lies in the opener’s shot selection and approach rather than his natural technique.

“Abhishek Sharma is getting out to off-spinners. Against Pakistan and the Netherlands, off-spinners got him. The problem lies in his shot selection,” Pathan said on JioHotstar.

Explaining the flaw, Pathan noted that Abhishek is trying to dominate too early instead of settling in.

“His bat comes down from a high angle, and he is not looking to hit straight. He is trying to play across the wicket. That is getting him into trouble,” he said. “He moves his front foot away to create room, but bowlers are not giving him room. These are not drivable balls.”


However, Pathan warned against drastic changes, urging the youngster to trust his natural game while making smarter decisions.

“His bat angle is coming across, which is natural to him. He does not need to change that. If he tries to change it now, it will be a mess,” he explained. “First things first, get a single, get off the mark. Expect the spinner to come in, get to the other end, and target the fast bowlers. He does not need to bludgeon from the first ball.”

While Abhishek has struggled, Pathan reserved glowing praise for fellow opener Ishan Kishan, who has been one of the tournament’s standout performers.

“Ishan Kishan is in the form of his life. He is playing the leg side really well. He targets square-leg and fine-leg,” Pathan said. “If you give him leg-side deliveries at the start, it’s trouble.”

But he also issued a word of caution ahead of the South Africa test.

“Against South Africa, I want to see what Kishan does when they bowl wide and make him play on the off-side early. He has improved a lot, but only after getting set,” he added.

South Africa’s batters are set for a stern test against Jasprit Bumrah and Varun Chakaravarthy when they face India in a marquee Super Eights encounter of the Men’s T20 World Cup at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Sunday evening, according to former South Africa all-rounder Robin Peterson.

Bumrah, India’s pace spearhead, has taken four wickets in three league games at an economy rate of six and a strike-rate of 13.5. However, Peterson believes the bigger challenge for the Proteas could be Chakaravarthy, who bagged three wickets against the Netherlands and has now picked at least one wicket in each of his last 17 innings — matching Arshdeep Singh’s streak.

Armed with a wide range of variations and sharp overspin, Chakaravarthy has claimed nine wickets in four matches at an economy of 5.2 and a strike rate of 8, placing him joint second on the tournament’s wicket charts behind USA pacer Shadley Van Schalkwyk.

Against South Africa, Chakaravarthy has taken 22 wickets in eight T20Is, including career-best figures of 5-17 in Gqeberha in 2024. Only Arshdeep (23) has dismissed the Proteas more often than Chakaravarthy, who has been the leading wicket-taker in T20Is since 2025.

"The key for South Africa's batters will be how they play Bumrah and Chakaravarthy. In combination their eight overs don't go for many runs – like about 60 in eight overs, which means that you probably have to get another 120 of the other bowlers, which is no mean feat because Axar and Kuldeep are world-class bowlers," said Peterson in an exclusive conversation with IANS.

Peterson also outlined how South Africa should approach Bumrah. "I do think that South Africa would have eyed up on how to play Bumrah. Knowing the coach and his mindset, it will be to take him on and not be scared. There's no point in being timid against him.

“You have to put something on world-class bowlers for them to think about and not to allow them to settle into a rhythm on the day. They do have the experience of Markram, who's faced Bumrah and Quinton de Kock up front. That experience of playing in Indian conditions and IPL will be very crucial for South Africa to set the tone," said Peterson, who represented South Africa in 15 Tests, 79 ODIs and 21 T20Is.

He pointed to finisher Tristan Stubbs and wicketkeeper-batter Ryan Rickelton as potential game-changers against India’s bowling attack.

"Then the rest of the batsmen, how do they play Axar? I know Tristan Stubbs in the middle order would have played Axar plenty of times and he plays with him in the IPL in Delhi Capitals.

“He'll be a key player, I would think, in that South African batting line-up. Ryan Rickleton's ability to hit sixes off spinners will be a huge factor in the game. I would think that South Africa will go and try and take the Indian bowlers on and not step back and play a conservative game," he said.

South Africa, runners-up to India in the 2024 Men’s T20 World Cup final in Barbados, have undergone significant changes under head coach Shukri Conrad. Peterson described the current squad as more balanced and more self-assured than the side that fell short at Kensington Oval.

"They're definitely confident playing against India. What South Africa's strength is that they have a lot of players that are playing the IPL. So there's no surprises as far as the Indian team is concerned in terms of playing against them.

“Every single player plays in the IPL and they know what to expect and what India can throw at them. But they have improved tremendously since the last outing that they've met in the World Cup in Barbados," he said.

Peterson credited Conrad’s leadership for the shift in mindset, highlighting his impact since taking charge across formats following the departure of Rob Walter.

"This team has developed very well under the new management and coach Shukri Conrad. He's definitely instilled a lot of confidence in them. So I do think South Africa are coming to this with a different mindset as opposed to other events.”

He also lauded captain Aiden Markram for shaping a stable and driven environment within the camp. Markram has amassed 178 runs at a strike rate of 187.36, underlining his importance at the top.

"Aiden Markram is a great leader. He's a tremendous captain. The big thing is that the players follow him. They look to him as a pull-up, so he's quite a calm individual. In the SA20, he's been involved in three finals with Sunrisers and winning two of them, so his leadership ability is exceptional, and in what he does. In combination with his batting form, he's just leading the team," Peterson said.

The ripple effect of a captain in peak form, Peterson added, lifts the entire squad. "Once your captain is in form, making good decisions on the field and batting well, it bodes really well for the confidence of the group and what they are able to achieve. As a leader, tactically he's superb. Aiden's biggest strength is maybe not even tactically - it's how he's able to keep a group together and keep them going in one direction, which is massive, going into a big clash against India."

"He's able to keep everybody calm, very level-headed when the pressure's on, and when the opportunity comes to pounce, he leads the way, especially with batting perspective and in the field. We talk about Aiden Markram's tactical nous and his batting, but his fielding on the boundary and his ability to create an opportunity in the field is also something that will lead the boys particularly well in a big clash," said Peterson.

At the same time, Peterson emphasised that India, too, have evolved since lifting the 2024 T20 World Cup, especially with the retirements of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, which has paved the way for a side boasting greater bowling depth.

"India are an exceptional T20 team. If you look at the two squads, how they've evolved since the last time they met in the final in Barbados - there's no Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli anymore, but they have increased their bowling depth as a group. With Varun Chakaravarthy coming in, it's really added an extra dimension to India's bowling."

He also pointed out that India’s position as hosts and reigning ICC champions brings added pressure — something South Africa might look to exploit.

"I do think there's a certain amount of pressure on India being the home nation and their success in ICC events. South Africa have won one, the first edition of Champions Trophy. But in the modern era, they haven't won one white-ball competition."

Despite that, Peterson is convinced the Proteas are heading into the clash with strong momentum.

"I do think South African squad has definitely improved. They've got stronger since that final. Their squad has got a lot more balance and firepower in terms of fast bowling and probably has improved.

“I do see this as a clash between a new-look India from that final and a South African team that is brimming with confidence and have evolved and improved their squad since then. It's going to be a mouth-watering clash as both teams are coming in with tremendous form. They're the two in-form teams of the competition and it's going to be an exciting clash," he concluded.

Former Pakistan fast bowler Mohammad Amir has ignited fresh controversy at the ICC Men's T20 World Cup, launching another scathing attack on India opener Abhishek Sharma while defiantly standing by his explosive prediction that India will not reach the semi-finals.

Amir, who has been at the centre of intense debate over his outspoken views, insisted his criticism was based purely on cricketing assessment and not disrespect. But his remarks about Abhishek’s technique and India’s chances have only added fuel to an already fierce rivalry.

“When it comes to Abhishek, I just said that he doesn't have a defensive game. A player who cannot stop the ball, what else do I call him?” Amir said on the Haarna Mana Hai show. “Just tell me what to call him if he can't come into the line and defend the ball.”

The left-arm pacer had earlier labelled the young opener a “slogger,” questioning his ability to survive against quality bowling. He also doubled down on his bigger claim — that India will fall short of the semi-finals despite entering the Super 8 stage as defending champions.

Explaining his reasoning, Amir argued that other contenders, especially South Africa and the West Indies, are currently stronger sides.

“Looking at how India and South Africa have been playing cricket, I think South Africa are better,” Amir said. “I was just talking from that sense.”

Amir also hit back at former Indian cricketers who criticised his remarks, accusing them of hypocrisy and using abusive language against Pakistan.

“I have just given my opinion. We have always praised India when they perform well. One should respect one's opinion,” he said. “If I talk about the kinds of things some former Indian players say, they use such bad language. They abuse Pakistan. We have never done so… just tell me one time if I ever used bad language against India.”

The former pacer said differing views are part of the sport and should not trigger outrage.

“Learn to respect someone's opinion. There are 100 people in the world; not everyone can have the same opinion. We have played the sport, so we know how it works,” he added.

India, led by Suryakumar Yadav, are placed in a tough Super 8 group alongside South Africa, Zimbabwe and the West Indies.

Former India head coach Ravi Shastri believes the defending champions have settled on their strongest XI and is unlikely to make changes when India take on South Africa in their opening Super 8 clash of the T20 World Cup 2026 at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Sunday.

India made two adjustments for their final group-stage fixture against the Netherlands. Spinner Kuldeep Yadav made way for Arshdeep Singh, while Axar Patel was rested to hand all-rounder Washington Sundar some game time. Shastri feels the only real selection call revolves around whether to field Axar or Sundar.

“I think it will be pretty much the same side because you've got depth, you've got all bases covered, you've got options, you need options,” Shastri told The ICC Review.

“When there's dew around, you need that extra bowling option. Whether it's a Shivam Dube, whether it's Hardik bowling his full quota of overs, whether it's Tilak Varma who might roll his arm for an over or two, you need those options. I don't think they'll tinker with the side. I think the team that played in the last game was a good side," he added.

Shastri also backed Abhishek Sharma, who is yet to open his account in the tournament. Despite three ducks so far, Shastri views it positively and expects the top-ranked T20I batter to deliver in the business end of the competition.

“I think the positive is that in every game, there's been someone who stood up. It has been Ishan Kishan, sometimes Surya, in the first game. Tilak Varma has played his part. He's got off to a start, but I still think the best of him is still to come. I look at it as a positive that Abhishek Sharma has three zeros. So save your best for the important periods in the tournament. Teams will be a little worried that he's not got runs," he said.

Shastri also lauded South Africa’s confidence and expects a closely fought battle when they meet India.

“There's a lot of self-belief and you know it's going to be a cracking contest because South Africa are no pushovers, they'll compete for sure. And it's a repeat of the World Cup final of 2024, so everyone's looking forward to it,” Shastri said.

Both India and South Africa head into the encounter after topping their respective groups in the opening round.

Defending champions India will begin their Super 8 campaign in the ongoing ICC T20 World Cup 2026 with a blockbuster clash against South Africa at the Narendra Modi stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday.

Ahead of the match, India bowling coach Morne Morkel admitted that Indian batters have struggled against spin but expressed confidence that improvement is coming soon.


Morkel pointed out that the pitches in the tournament have been challenging for batters, especially against slower bowlers.

He said, "To be honest, I think on the surfaces we have played so far, it was not the easiest wickets to hit the ball. We tried that in Mumbai, and found ourselves in trouble. So I think the important thing is that we know we can always... If we have some sort of platform, we can catch up at the back end."

After Sunday's showdown, India will face Zimbabwe on February 26 and West Indies on March 1 in the Super 8 stage.

IND vs SA: Weather forecast for Ahmedabad

The weather in Ahmedabad is expected to be hot and clear for the India vs South Africa Super 8 clash, with temperatures around 36°C and hazy sunshine throughout the day.

There is no chance of rain or thunderstorms, so fans can expect an uninterrupted 40-over match.

Winds will blow from the west-northwest at around 7 km/h, with gusts up to 26 km/h, while the UV index will be high, meaning players will need to manage the heat carefully.

IND vs SA head-to-head in T20Is

Total matches: 31
India wins: 18
South Africa wins: 12
No result: 1

Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad – T20 Stats

Total matches: 15
Matches won batting first: 10
Matches won bowling first: 5
Average 1st innings score: 173
Average 2nd innings score: 151
Highest total: 234/4 by India vs New Zealand
Lowest total: 66 all out by New Zealand vs India
Highest successful chase: 178/3 by South Africa vs New Zealand
Lowest defended total: 107/7 by West Indies Women vs India Women


India vs South Africa: Squads

India Squad: Suryakumar Yadav (c), Axar Patel, Sanju Samson, Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Ishan Kishan, Shivam Dube, Washington Sundar, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakaravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Rinku Singh, Mohammed Siraj

South Africa Squad: Aiden Markram (c), Quinton de Kock, Dewald Brevis, David Miller, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Kwena Maphaka, Lungi Ngidi, Jason Smith, George Linde, Corbin Bosch, Anrich Nortje, Tristan Stubbs, Ryan Rickelton

India’s formidable depth has become both their greatest strength and their only selection headache as the defending champions march unbeaten into the Super Eight stage of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup. A win over the Netherlands extended their winning streak in the tournament to 12 matches and reinforced the impression of a side with few weaknesses — but according to former coach Ravi Shastri, one crucial dilemma remains.

Shastri believes India are unlikely to tinker with a winning combination when they face South Africa in a blockbuster clash on Sunday, insisting the current XI ticks nearly every box.

“I think it will be pretty much the same side because you've got depth, you've got all bases covered, you've got options, you need options,” Shastri told ICC Review.

He stressed the importance of flexibility, particularly in conditions where dew could influence team balance.

“When there's dew around, you need that extra bowling option. Whether it's a Shivam Dube, whether it's Hardik bowling his full quota of overs, whether it's Tilak Varma who might roll his arm for an over or two, you need those options. I don't think they'll tinker with the side. I think the team that played in the last game was a good side,” he said.

India’s campaign so far has been defined by collective contributions rather than reliance on individuals, something Shastri views as a major positive.

“In every game there's been someone who stood up. It has been Ishan Kishan, sometimes Surya in the first game. Tilak Varma has played his part… I still think the best of him is still to come,” he noted. “I look at it as a positive that Abhishek Sharma has got three zeros. So, save your best for the important periods in the tournament. Teams will be a little worried that he's not got runs.”

However, Shastri identified one key selection call: whether to play Axar Patel or Washington Sundar. Both offer spin and batting depth, but only one spot is available.

Beyond selection, Shastri expects a high-quality contest between two in-form sides at the Narendra Modi Stadium.

“There's a lot of self-belief and it's going to be a cracking contest because South Africa are no pushovers,” he said. “They've got depth in batting. India have got depth in batting. These are two of the strongest teams.”

Familiarity with conditions could play a role, but Shastri warned dew may ultimately decide the outcome.

“When you're familiar with the ground… you know what lengths to bowl. The thing to see is the amount of dew. Toss can play a crucial role.”

Quinton de Kock turned up for the pre-match press conference with don’t-care attitude. The answers were curt, bordering on being dismissive. This is a new De Kock, back in international cricket two months ago after a hiatus of 18 months since the loss to India in the T20 World Cup final in 2024.

In a way, de Kock depicts a resurgent South African cricket culture over the last two years. They have shed the chokers’ tag by lifting the World Test Championship title last year. “We haven’t spoken about that T20 final after the game. We went back to our homes and dealt with it in our own ways. I don’t know if the others have spoken about it when I wasn’t around. But I haven’t since I rejoined the team,” was De Kock’s curt response to the mention of the 2024 final.


Has winning the WTC helped them move on from being called chokers? “I wasn’t part of it. I didn’t even watch the match because I was in USA playing a league and they don’t have these matches on TV there. Again, there has been no discussion about it either since I joined,” claimed the wicketkeeper.

South African cricket has often been criticized for complicating things. Under Aiden Markram, the chief architect of that WTC final win against Australia at Lord’s last June, they have assumed a different approach. Markram, to start with himself, has found clarity as a T20 batter while opening the batting. De Kock, India’s nemesis since the start of his career in 2013, has just clicked with Markram joining at the top of the order. “We never used to open. Aiden had different situations all the time, so he always had to adapt. An opening batter has pretty much one sort of thing to do. That's also easier for him to deal with. Probably, he has had the clarity that he's had as an opener,” De Kock reckoned.

It's clear that this South African team doesn’t want to dwell in the past. De Kock doesn’t even want to talk about his ominous record against India. He just dismisses it as playing on good surfaces. This team has found momentum and rearing to challenge India’s title as T20 World champions.

Abhishek Sharma and Tilak Varma have been India’s T20I batting trump cards over the five months leading up to this T20 World Cup. They have complemented each other while manning the top-order by being equally destructive and bankable. As both of them struggled to hit their stride in the first fortnight of the tournament, it now appears their form is correlated.

Both stayed away from the optional practice session on Saturday afternoon even as Ishan Kishan and Rinku Singh practised power-hitting for 90 minutes, stewing in their own sweat under the blazing sun at the Narendra Modi stadium.

India captain Suryakumar Yadav didn’t try to veil Varma’s struggles. 106 runs in four innings at a strike-rate of around 120 doesn’t reflect the potential or the core principles of this team’s T20 batting. “I am sure he must not be happy with how he is batting right now. He has practiced a lot as well in the last 2-3 practice sessions,” was Surya’s candid take on Varma’s form. “But I don’t have any concerns about him. He has done well for India at this position,” he added.

Abhishek’s consistent belligerence in the Powerplay has played a great part in liberating India’s middle order in the last five months. His failure to get started has coincided with Tilak’s rather indecisive approach. “The team management has told him that he has to bat this way. If only one wicket falls, then he definitely can play his own game in the Powerplay. But, as soon as two wickets are down, then he has to take a backseat and get a partnership again to reach the 10th over. After that we have enough firepower to take on the bowling. If the team feels that any player, like Tilak or me, if he has to bat with a strike rate of 200 or 150, then he will do it,” Surya reasoned.

The extent of Abhishek’s impact could be gauged as the Indian batting has looked visibly chained and refused to even come close to replicating the astronomic scores from the two preceding bilateral series against South Africa and New Zealand. “We are trying to explode from the start. Because that is their (the batters’) template. But at the end, we don't want to be a team that keeps on hitting,” Surya mentioned.

“Honestly, I didn’t think we could score 230, 250, 270 so easily in the first place. I am actually worried for those who are worried for Abhishek. We want to play with his identity. We know what happens when he gets going,” the captain said with a smirk.

Tilak has not taken off despite Ishan Kishan ruthlessly taking down bowling attacks in the Powerplay. That said, the team isn’t willing to press the panic button yet. Both Abhishek and Tilak are playing their first World Cup. The backup at disposal currently doesn’t inspire much confidence either with Sanju Samson going off the boil. Having endured an 18-month run of poor form, Surya feels its time the team paid Abhishek and Tilak back. “Last year, they covered everything for us. This time, rest of us will do it,” Surya stated.

- Since 2024, India and South Africa have been the standout sides in T20 World Cups. India boast a flawless 12-win record, while South Africa’s only loss in 13 matches during this period came in the 2024 final against India.

- Tilak Varma amassed 496 runs in 10 innings across the last two bilateral series between the teams, finishing as the top run-scorer in both contests.

- Shivam Dube has emerged as India’s most prolific middle-order hitter post the 2024 T20 World Cup, striking at 163 overall. Against spin, his strike rate jumps to 183 — placing him among the most destructive players in that phase globally.

- Varun Chakaravarthy has claimed 22 wickets in eight games against South Africa across the last two series and earned Player of the Series honours in last December’s bilateral rubber. Notably, he has picked up at least two wickets in each of those matches.

- South Africa have dominated the Powerplay in this tournament, leading the charts in both average and scoring rate, largely due to their aggressive opening pair.

- Aiden Markram opened the batting only once in 26 T20Is across 2023 and 2024. However, since the 2025 tour of Australia, he has opened in 13 of his 16 innings — a transition seemingly influenced by his successful IPL 2025 stint with LSG, where he scored 445 runs and built a strong partnership with Mitchell Marsh.

It is not uncommon to see brothers sharing the same dressing room in cricket, but Sunday’s T20 World Cup clash will present a rare sight — two brothers stationed in rival dugouts, strategising for opposing teams, while their mother back home remains torn over who to support.

Albie and Morne Morkel, once key figures for South Africa, now find themselves on opposite sides. Albie is serving as South Africa’s “specialist consultant” for the tournament, while Morne is part of Gautam Gambhir’s Indian support staff as the bowling coach.

"No, we don't talk to each other. I think my mother, she's more worried than us. She doesn't know who to support, India or South Africa," Albie had said in jest recently.

The two teams meet in their Super Eight opener after both enjoyed unbeaten runs in the group stage. Morne admitted that conversations with his elder brother have been limited.

"I saw him arrive at the ground. But we haven't been talking a lot. Good to seem him though," he said on Friday when asked about Albie.

Cricket has long celebrated stories of brothers joining forces on the field and carving their place in history — the Chappells (Ian and Greg), the Waughs (Steve and Mark), the Amarnaths (Mohinder, Surinder and Rajinder), the Pathans (Irfan and Yusuf), the Pandyas (Hardik and Krunal), the Mohammeds (Hanif, Sadiq, Mushtaq, Wazir) and the Hadlees (Richard and Dale), among others.

They enhance the romance of the sport.

There have been exceptions. Sam Curran represents England while his brother Ben, a replacement player, turns out for Zimbabwe — their father Kevin having played for the African nation.

Yet, the Morkels bring a fresh twist to the saying that a brother is “your first friend, first teammate and also the first rival.”

In terms of playing careers, Morne enjoyed the broader canvas, featuring in 86 Tests and claiming 309 wickets across formats. Albie was more prominent in white-ball cricket, playing 108 T20Is and ODIs combined for the Proteas.

A lesser-discussed facet of Albie’s career is his stint with Chennai Super Kings, where during the early seasons he became one of Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s trusted lieutenants. His lower-order hitting and death bowling made him a valuable asset in the franchise’s formative years.

When asked to define his role as “specialist consultant,” Albie admitted he had to decipher it himself.

"...it's been an interesting term, a specialist consultant. I had to figure it out myself a little bit," he quipped before elaborating.

"I guess it's anything it takes to help the team do well in the World Cup. So do a bit of both, batting, and fielding, mostly focus around the bowling for now.

"And yeah, do some work with the lower order batters, swing work, and stuff like that," he had told reporters in New Delhi ahead of the UAE match.

Though rare in cricket, sibling coaches facing off has precedent elsewhere. In Kolkata’s famed derby between East Bengal and Mohun Bagan, the Nandy brothers — Pranab and Palash — coached the two sides across multiple encounters.

Football has offered similar narratives. The celebrated Charlton brothers — Bobby and Jack, members of England’s 1966 World Cup-winning squad — later found themselves managing different English clubs. Jack took charge of Middlesbrough while Bobby managed Preston North End.

The Koeman brothers — Ronald and Erwin — also briefly coached separate national teams, the Netherlands and Oman respectively, though they never went head-to-head.

Perhaps the most iconic example comes from American football, where brothers John and Jim Harbaugh have led rival teams in the Super Bowl. Their meetings are famously dubbed the “Harbaugh Bowl.”

For the Morkels, their duties now revolve around serving as trusted sounding boards for their respective head coaches — Shukri Conrad for South Africa and Gautam Gambhir for India.

Albie believes his close association with Stephen Fleming at Chennai Super Kings has shaped his coaching outlook.

"Stephen has been a big influence on me. I think he's one of the only coaches, or maybe the only coach in the world who's been at a franchise (CSK) for 17 years. That's unheard of.

"So, it must mean he does something right. And I certainly learn a lot from him, yes," said Albie, who has also worked with Fleming at Johannesburg Super Kings in SA20.

On Sunday, however, family ties will be set aside for three-and-a-half hours as the Morkel brothers focus solely on their respective camps.

Defending champions India will begin their Super 8 campaign in the ongoing ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 with a high-profile clash against last edition finalists South Africa at the Narendra Modi stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday. Ahead of the match, India bowling coach Morne Morkel admitted that Indian batters have struggled against spin but remains confident they will improve soon.

Morkel said the pitches played so far have not been easy for batting, especially against slower bowlers. He explained, "To be honest, I think on the surfaces we have played so far, it was not the easiest wickets to hit the ball. We tried that in Mumbai, and found ourselves in trouble. So I think the important thing is that we know we can always... If we have some sort of platform, we can catch up at the back end."


He added that India’s struggles against spin are temporary, saying, "And to credit to the team, yes, we may not have dominated spin as we would have liked. But that is around the corner on a surface that we find our flow. As I said earlier, that will happen."

Despite spin issues, India have posted big totals in the tournament and Morkel believes the bowling attack can defend strong scores. He said the team plans to build an innings and then accelerate, adding, "OK, listen, we are going to pull the trigger" at the right moment.

India will play South Africa on February 22, Zimbabwe on February 26, and West Indies on March 1 in the Super 8 stage.

India vs South Africa T20 World Cup 2026 match: Live streaming details


When will the India vs South Africa T20 World Cup 2026 match be played?

The India vs South Africa Super 8 match will be played on Sunday, February 22, 2026.

Where will the India vs South Africa T20 World Cup 2026 match be played?

The match will be played in Ahmedabad, India.

What time will the India vs South Africa T20 World Cup 2026 match start?

The match will start at 7:00 PM IST, with the toss scheduled for 6:30 PM IST.

Which TV channels will broadcast the India vs South Africa T20 World Cup 2026 match?

The match will be televised live in India on the Star Sports Network.

How to watch live streaming of the India vs South Africa T20 World Cup 2026 match?

Live streaming will be available on the Jio Hotstar app and website.

Where can we follow the India vs South Africa T20 World Cup 2026 match online?

The match can be followed live on TimesofIndia.com.

Right from the build-up to the start of the T20 World Cup, all the noise has surrounded India's famed batting line-up. The broadcaster has relentlessly hyped the 300-mark and even after four group stage games, the talk remains focused on Indian batting. Reasons may vary, but the subject has seldom changed and all pre-match discussions have revolved around Abhishek Sharma's three ducks, Ishan Kishan's heroics, the slowdown by Tilak Varma and Suryakumar Yadav, or the firepower in the lower order. Batting has remained the keyword and it has always been in this unforgiving format.

Bowlers are often under appreciated based on their statistics — economy rate, wickets column — which rarely reveal the big picture or how they performed in the larger context of the match. A 35-ball fifty always trumps a 4-0-30-0 but the latter often makes the former look better than it has been.

While the batting unit has been the talk of the town, the potent bowling unit has slipped under the radar, but has continued to be the real deal. Varun Chakravarthy is the No.1 ranked T20I bowler, Arshdeep Singh has been a force in the format. Jasprit Bumrah continues to be brilliant, Axar Patel is smart and the two all-rounders -- Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dube -- are genuine options, not just fillers. Not to forget the additional options in Kuldeep Yadav and Washington Sundar.

When India embraced the slam-bang mode in the format, their complete bowling attack provided underlying confidence. On days the approach backfired, bowlers were there to do the job. Like they were in that 2024 T20 World Cup final vs South Africa. Even on a bad day for Kuldeep and Axar, Hardik, Bumrah and Arshdeep combined to pull things back when they almost slipped away, helping India secure the elusive silverware. Now for them to defend the title, and become the only team to do so, the bowlers will hold the key. As the famous saying goes, "batters can win you matches but it's the bowlers who win you tournaments," and India have the most dangerous and well-rounded attack in the tournament.

When the questioning predictably focused on India's batting — specifically their vulnerabilities against spin and the sluggishness in the middle overs — captain Suryakumar highlighted the efforts of the bowling unit's and explained why he takes so much "pride" in them.

"I take a lot of pride in my bowling unit. I know that on a given day, I always used to think that if we ever made 170, 175, or 180 in T20 cricket, then the high risk, high reward game we are trying to play, if we ever get stuck in 180, then we have so much good bowling that it can save the match, it can win that game," said Surya.

Even in their last group game against the Netherlands, the Indian team management wanted to prepare their bowlers for future challenges. The decision to bat first for the game was primarily made to give them a taste of dew.

"When I had practiced here before the Netherlands game, there was very heavy dew one day before when we practiced. So we thought, why not bat first, take that pressure and then later put bowlers under little bit of pressure, bowl them under dew because we have not bowled under dew a lot. We didn't face a lot of dew when we were at Wankhede, Delhi also. So it's better they get an opportunity also to bowl in the dew and so that we are well prepared for it," explained Surya.

India captain Suryakumar Yadav on Saturday defended Tilak Varma despite his modest returns in the T20 World Cup league stage, saying the batter is following instructions given by the team management.

Tilak’s strike rate, which is above 141 in his career, has dropped to the 120s in this tournament. He has struggled against slow bowlers on surfaces where the ball has gripped more. Across four matches, he has managed only 11 boundaries and three sixes and has not been able to shift gears after settling in.

The India captain said Tilak’s approach is part of a defined role.

"I mean I have told him, the team management has told him that he has to bat that way. If one wicket is down, then he is definitely, he can go and have his own game in the powerplay," Surya said.

"But as soon as two wickets are down, then he has to take a little bit of backseat, get a partnership again, get to the 10th over and then we have enough firepower to continue and take on the bowling," the Indian skipper explained the rationale behind the approach although it wasn't exactly convincing.

He added that Tilak himself would expect more from his performances.

"Definitely, I am sure he must not be happy with how he is batting right now, I am sure. He must be and he has practiced a lot as well in the last 2-3 practice sessions. But I don't have any concern regarding him. He has been delivering for India at No. 3 really well and I am very confident that he will do it better."

Suryakumar dismissed talk of replacing Tilak with Sanju Samson.

"You mean, I should make him (Samson) play for Tilak?" he laughed.

He said India’s scoring in the powerplay has been normal but expectations remain high.

"It's going well in powerplay. We're making 40-50 runs. That's normal cricket. Now we've played so well in bilaterals. It happens. We also have expectations of ourselves. Expectation to make 220, 240, 250," he said.

"But wickets are a little different here (in the World Cup). The four wickets we have played on so far were a little different and challenging. Off-spinners were not bowling earlier but are bowling now. So we have started preparation for that and hopefully we will tackle it as we start our Super 8 journey."

The captain said he is confident in the bowling unit, especially when defending totals around 175 to 180.

"I do take a lot of pride in my bowling unit. I know that on a given day, if we ever make 170, 175, or 180 because of the high risk, high reward game we are trying to play, then we have a good bowling attack which can save the match, it can win that game," he said.

"Look, I never thought that this team will make scores like 250, 270, 220, 230. But the way we're playing cricket now, you'll see in the future, if you see a start, then after that, everyone bats with the same template. But the day you don't get a start, that day you have to think about what the team needs."