A disciplined bowling effort after David Miller’s fiery half-century helped South Africa crush India by 76 runs in their Super Eight match of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Sunday.
The defeat marked India’s first in the ongoing 20-team tournament and ended their 13-match unbeaten streak in T20 World Cups since their gruelling 10-wicket defeat at the hands of England in the semi-final of the 2022 edition.
In all ICC tournaments, however, it was the first defeat for the Men in Blue in 18 matches, with their last setback dating back to the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 final against Australia, which coincidentally came at the same venue.
Set to chase a daunting 188-run target, the home side could accumulate 111 before getting bowled out in 18.5 overs despite Shivam Dube’s gutsy knock.
The all-rounder waged a lone battle for the home side and top-scored with a valiant 42-run knock, but his efforts were insufficient for steering the defending champions to extend their unbeaten streak to 14 matches in the T20 World Cups.
Besides him, fellow all-rounder Hardik Pandya and captain Suryakumar Yadav, 18 each, followed by opener Abhishek Sharma (15) and middle-order batter Washington Sundar (11) could amass double figures against the disciplined South Africa bowling attack.
Jansen spearheaded South Africa’s bowling charge with a four-wicket haul, followed by experienced spinner Keshav Maharaj with three wickets, all of which came in the pulsating 15th over. They were supported by Corbin Bosch, who bagged two wickets, while skipper Aiden Markram chipped in with one scalp.
Opting to bat first, the Proteas accumulated 187/7 in their 20 overs, courtesy of a defiant 97-run partnership for the fourth wicket between Miller and Dewald Brevis.
South Africa, however, had a contrasting start to their innings as India’s pace duo of Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh ran through their top order, comprising captain Aiden Markram, wicketkeeper batter Quinton de Kock and Ryan Rickelton, inside four overs with just 20 runs on the board.
Following the early setback, Miller joined Brevis in the middle, and the duo batted valiantly to force an astounding recovery by putting together 97 runs for the fourth wicket off just 49 deliveries.
The threatening stand was eventually broken by Shivam Dube in the 13th over when he got Brevis caught at deep mid-wicket by Abhishek Sharma.
Brevis walked back after scoring a crucial 45 off 29 deliveries with the help of three sixes and as many fours.
Miller was then involved in a 35-run partnership for the fifth wicket with Tristan Stubbs until eventually falling victim to Varun Chakravarthy in the 16th over and walking back after top-scoring for South Africa with a 35-ball 63, laced with seven fours and three sixes.
His dismissal halted the flow of runs for South Africa as Indian bowlers tightened the grip and were ultimately rewarded on the second delivery of the 18th over when Arshdeep got rid of Marco Jansen, who could muster two off six deliveries.
Stubbs, on the other hand, batted until the end and added valuable runs to South Africa’s total with an unbeaten 44 off 24 deliveries, featuring three sixes and a four.
Bumrah spearheaded India’s bowling charge with three wickets for just 15 runs in his four overs, followed by Arshdeep with two, while Chakravarthy and Dube made one scalp apiece.