Ahmedabad, February 22: David Miller and Dewald Brevis staged a spirited recovery for South Africa after Jasprit Bumrah’s early strikes rattled the Proteas in their T20 World Cup 2026 Super 8 clash at the Narendra Modi Stadium.
South Africa Opt to Bat
South Africa captain Aiden Markram won the toss and elected to bat on a dry black-soil surface in Ahmedabad. India captain Suryakumar Yadav admitted he would have preferred batting first but expressed confidence in his bowling attack.
India retained the same playing XI from their previous match, leaving Axar Patel out in what Suryakumar described as a tactical call. South Africa, meanwhile, made four changes, bringing in David Miller, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj and Lungi Ngidi.
Bumrah’s Early Double Blow
India’s pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah struck early to dent South Africa’s top order. He first bowled Quinton de Kock with a sharp delivery that cramped the left-hander for room. Shortly after, Bumrah dismissed Ryan Rickelton with a clever slower ball.
With that wicket, Bumrah equalled Ravichandran Ashwin’s record for the most wickets by an Indian in T20 World Cup history, underlining his consistency on the global stage.
Arshdeep Singh also joined the party by removing skipper Markram, leaving South Africa reeling inside the Powerplay.
Miller, Brevis Shift Momentum
At 20 for 3, South Africa were under immense pressure. However, David Miller and Dewald Brevis counterattacked with calculated aggression. The duo targeted India’s spin attack, particularly Varun Chakaravarthy and Washington Sundar.
Miller unleashed a towering six and followed it up with crisp boundaries, while Brevis displayed flair with innovative stroke play. One over from Chakaravarthy yielded 17 runs, swinging momentum back towards the Proteas.
By the 11th over, South Africa had climbed to 99 for 3, with Miller and Brevis both scoring at a brisk rate.
Pitch and Match Context
The surface at the Narendra Modi Stadium appeared slightly sluggish, offering grip for spinners but also rewarding clean hitting once batters settled in. India had dominated the Powerplay, but the middle overs tested their bowling depth.
India entered the Super 8 stage unbeaten, though their batting had not been severely tested so far. South Africa’s formidable bowling unit, featuring Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen, had already been identified as a challenge for the defending champions.
Match schedules and points table updates are available via the official BCCI platform at https://www.bcci.tv.
Team Combinations
India XI: Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan (wk), Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav (c), Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Rinku Singh, Washington Sundar, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakaravarthy.
South Africa XI: Aiden Markram (c), Quinton de Kock (wk), Ryan Rickelton, Dewald Brevis, David Miller, Tristan Stubbs, Marco Jansen, Corbin Bosch, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi.
High Stakes in Super 8
The clash marked the sixth T20I meeting between the two sides in three months, highlighting their familiarity with each other’s tactics. With a packed stadium in attendance, both teams understood the importance of gaining early momentum in the Super 8 stage.
While India’s pace trio made early inroads, South Africa’s middle-order resilience ensured the contest remained evenly poised at the halfway stage of their innings.
As the tournament moves into its business end, consistency with both bat and ball will be decisive for teams eyeing a semifinal berth.
