Ahmedabad: South Africa defeated the defending T20 World Cup champions by 76 runs in a one-sided Super 8 match at the Narendra Modi Stadium, ending India’s 12-match winning streak and exposing serious concerns in their batting line-up.
The match began perfectly for India. Fast bowlers Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh struck early to reduce South Africa to 20 for 3 in the first four overs.
Bumrah bowled with pace and control, removing key batters, while Arshdeep kept things tight from the other end. At that stage, India was firmly on top, and the large crowd sensed a dominant performance.
However, the game changed in the middle overs. David Miller and Dewald Brevis rebuilt the innings with confidence. Miller played a calm and powerful knock of 63, mixing smart shot selection with controlled aggression.
South Africa win by 76 runs in Ahmedabad. #TeamIndia set their sights on a turnaround in the next game.
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— BCCI (@BCCI) February 22, 2026
Brevis supported him well, attacking the spinners and rotating the strike effectively. Their partnership shifted the momentum and allowed South Africa to recover strongly.
Even after India broke the stand, South Africa continued to score quickly. Tristan Stubbs added late runs with clean hitting in the final overs, helping his team reach 187 for 7. Bumrah finished with impressive figures, but India struggled to control the scoring once the early breakthroughs faded.
Chasing 188, India’s innings fell apart quickly. Early wickets put them under pressure, and the top order failed to build any partnership. The required run rate kept rising, forcing risky shots. Marco Jansen led South Africa’s attack with key wickets, while spinner Keshav Maharaj removed three batters in a crucial spell.
A rip-roaring performance from South Africa to hand India their first defeat at #T20WorldCup 2026 ⚡
Watch highlights for every match of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 on https://t.co/CPDKNxpgZ3 🎥https://t.co/wV3OoRAiUg
— ICC (@ICC) February 22, 2026
India was bowled out for 111 in 18.5 overs. Shivam Dube tried to fight back with a few attacking shots, but the target was too far away. It was India’s heaviest defeat in T20 internationals in terms of runs.
The result puts pressure on India ahead of their remaining Super 8 matches. They now need strong performances to stay in the race for the semifinals. For South Africa, the victory was a statement of intent and showed their ability to recover from difficult situations and finish strongly.
