Ahmed Shehzad, former Pakistani cricketer, has attributed India’s heavy loss to South Africa in the T20 World Cup to a lack of team unity and tactical shortcomings. India suffered a crushing 76-run loss to South Africa in Ahmedabad on Sunday, ending their 12-match winning streak in the tournament’s Group 1 Super Eights stage.
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Shehzad said, “This team does not look like it is gelling. That unity they possessed during Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli’s era—which was their strength—is not visible right now, which is why they have lost so badly.”
جنوبی افریقا نے بھارتی ٹیم کو دھول چٹا دی!
بھارتی بلے باز بُری طرح ناکام
احمد شہزاد کا تجزیہ pic.twitter.com/ZVboAnLhKu— Geo News Urdu (@geonews_urdu) February 22, 2026
Shehzad also highlighted issues in India’s bowling lineup, pointing out that the team lacked complete options and had to rely on part-time bowlers like Shivam Dube. “Although Jasprit Bumrah did well to pull it back at the end, otherwise it was going way over. In the middle, when they were being hit, they had no such options,” he noted.
He further criticized the team selection, which he said was influenced by former Indian cricketer Gautam Gambhir. “Somewhere or another, against a strong team, this combination will struggle, and today they have been exposed,” Shehzad said.
Commenting on captain Surya Kumar Yadav’s performance, Shehzad observed, “A leader’s body language should be ‘never-die’. But as the sixes were being hit, Surya was sinking right along with them. To me, it looked like he wanted to fly to catch the ball.”
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Shehzad warned that India could face further challenges in upcoming matches, emphasizing the need for stronger leadership and strategic clarity. He added that the next match against Zimbabwe would be critical for India to regain confidence and cohesion in the tournament.