Ahmedabad: South Africa defeated India by 76 runs in the Super Eights clash of 2026 Men’s T20 World Cup at the Narendra Modi Stadium here on Sunday.
Earlier, David Miller, Dewald Brevis and Tristan Stubbs played stunning knocks to power South Africa to 187/7 in their 20 overs. India was bundled out for 111 in their first Super 8 match, with two more games to go.
On a slow, black soil pitch, India had the upper hand in the powerplay as a brilliant Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh struck early to reduce South Africa to 20/3 in four overs. After Brevis and Miller steadied the innings through a 97-run partnership off 51 balls. Though Brevis fell five short of a half-century, Miller went on to make 63 off 35 balls, before being removed by Varun Chakaravarthy, who had an off day at large.
Miller’s dismissal slowed South Africa’s momentum, as 39 runs came from overs 14-19, until Stubbs cut loose in the final over by smashing Hardik Pandya for a four and two towering sixes to lift the total past 180-mark and be unbeaten on 44 off 24 balls.
Apart from Bumrah and Arshdeep, who took 2-28, India’s bowlers looked patchy with their execution, but they will feel the target is within reach given the conditions. With dew expected to play a role and South Africa relying on their four-man pace attack, the chase could tilt in India’s favor. Still, fireworks from Miller, Brevis and Stubbs have given South Africa a fighting chance.
South Africa’s decision to bat first didn’t start well as Bumrah removed Quinton de Kock with a nip-backer taking out the leg-side bail. With the ball stopping a bit, Arshdeep had success as Aiden Markram picked out mid-off. Bumrah then returned to fox Ryan Rickelton with a slower ball, and the leading edge on the loft was caught easily by mid-off.
