The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 is in full swing, co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, running from February 7 to March 8. South Africa is set to kick off their journey on February 9 against Canada at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
The Proteas find themselves in Group D, sharing the stage with Canada, Afghanistan, New Zealand, and the United Arab Emirates. They entered the tournament with a boost of confidence after finishing as runners-up in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024, where they narrowly lost to India in a thrilling final held across the West Indies and the United States.
South Africa’s T20I Record at Narendra Modi Stadium
Interestingly, South Africa has only played one T20I at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. That match took place during their recent tour of India, where they faced off in the fifth T20I of the series. Unfortunately, the Proteas faced a 30-run defeat in that game, which also meant they lost the series to the Men in Blue.
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Batting first, India set a daunting target of 231/5 in their 20 overs. Hardik Pandya dazzled with a fiery 63 off just 25 balls, smashing five fours and five sixes at an incredible strike rate of 252.
Tilak Varma also made a significant contribution, scoring a smooth 73 off 42 balls, with 10 fours and one six at a strike rate of 173.80. For South Africa, Corbin Bosch stood out with the ball, ending with figures of 2/44.
In response, South Africa fought hard but ultimately fell short of the target. Wicketkeeper-batter Quinton de Kock led the charge with a spirited 65 off 35 balls, which included nine fours and three sixes. However, the lack of solid support from the rest of the batting lineup proved to be their downfall, and the Proteas finished at 201/8.
For India, Varun Chakravarthy was the star with the ball, taking 4/53, while Jasprit Bumrah chipped in with 2/17. Arshdeep Singh and Hardik Pandya each took one wicket as well. After gaining some valuable match experience and gearing up for their opening game against Canada, South Africa is eager to turn the tide and start their T20 World Cup 2026 journey on a positive note.
