South Africa delivered a commanding 76-run victory over defending champions India in their T20 World Cup 2026 Super 8 opener at Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium on February 22, 2026, snapping India’s unbeaten 12-match tournament run.
Proteas Post Impressive Total
Captain Aiden Markram won the toss and batted first, recovering from 20/3 to post 187/7. David Miller’s match-winning 63 off 35 balls, paired with Dewald Brevis’ 45 and Tristan Stubbs’ explosive 44* off 24, set a daunting target. Jasprit Bumrah claimed 3/15 for India.
Indian Batting Collapses
India crumbled to 111 all out in 18.5 overs. Openers Ishan Kishan (0) and Tilak Varma fell early; Abhishek Sharma managed 15 before skipper Suryakumar Yadav’s dismissal triggered collapse. Shivam Dube’s 42 top-scored, but Marco Jansen (4/22) and Keshav Maharaj (3/24) orchestrated the demolition.
Semifinal Stakes Rise
South Africa tops Super 8 Group 1; India (net run rate -3.80) must beat Zimbabwe Friday and West Indies to advance. Proteas face West Indies Thursday, cementing their title contender status.
