Ahmedabad: India suffered a heavy 76-run defeat against South Africa in the Super-8 match of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 on Sunday at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. The loss has significantly dented India’s hopes of reaching the semi-finals, as their net run rate has been badly affected following the defeat.
After winning the toss, South Africa opted to bat first and posted a total of 187 runs. In response, the Indian team was bowled out for just 111. South Africa made four changes to their playing XI for the match, while India fielded an unchanged side.
India’s batting collapses under pressure
Chasing a target of 188, India got off to a disastrous start. Ishan Kishan was dismissed for a duck in the very first over. In the following over, Marco Jansen removed Tilak Varma. Hopes rested on Suryakumar Yadav and Abhishek Sharma to stabilise the innings, but Abhishek was dismissed in the fifth over by Jansen after scoring 15 runs. At the end of six overs, India were struggling at 31-3.
Washington Sundar was dismissed in the eighth over after scoring 11 runs, and India crossed the 50-run mark in the ninth over. The biggest blow came in the 10th over when captain Suryakumar Yadav was dismissed for 18 runs off 22 balls, leaving India at 57-5 at the halfway stage.
In the 15th over, Keshav Maharaj struck three times, dismissing Hardik Pandya (18), Rinku Singh (0), and Arshdeep Singh in the same over. Shivam Dube offered some resistance with a knock of 42 runs, but India were eventually bowled out for 111 in the 19th over.
Following the defeat, India’s net run rate dropped to -3.80. To stay in contention for the semi-finals, India must now win their remaining two matches by large margins and rely on other results to ensure their net run rate remains competitive.
For South Africa, Marco Jansen took four wickets, Lungi Ngidi picked up three, and Corbin Bosch claimed two wickets.
Brevis and Miller power South Africa to strong total
South Africa, after electing to bat first, opened with Quinton de Kock and Aiden Markram. Jasprit Bumrah dismissed de Kock for 6 runs in the second over, and Arshdeep Singh removed Markram in the next over, reducing South Africa to 12 runs early in the innings.
Bumrah continued his impressive spell, dismissing Ryan Rickelton for 7 runs in the fourth over. At the end of six overs, South Africa were 41-3.
A crucial partnership then developed between Dewald Brevis and David Miller. Shivam Dube broke the stand in the 13th over by dismissing Brevis, who scored 45 runs off 29 balls. Brevis and Miller had added 97 runs together.
Miller continued his aggressive innings before being dismissed by Varun Chakravarthy in the 16th over after scoring 63 runs off 35 balls. Arshdeep Singh dismissed Marco Jansen in the 18th over, and Bumrah picked up another wicket in the 19th over. Tristan Stubbs played a useful late contribution to help South Africa set a target of 188 runs.
Jasprit Bumrah was India’s most successful bowler, finishing with figures of 3 wickets for 15 runs in 4 overs. Arshdeep Singh took two wickets, while Varun Chakravarthy and Shivam Dube picked up one wicket each.
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