In the third Super Eight match of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, South Africa won the toss and chose to bat first against India on Sunday. The high-stakes encounter is being played at the Narendra Modi Stadium, one of the largest cricket venues in the world, with strong crowd support for both sides.
Head-to-Head Record
India and South Africa have faced each other seven times in the history of the T20 World Cup. India hold a clear advantage in these encounters, winning five matches, while South Africa have secured two victories.
Their most recent meeting in the tournament came in the final of the 2024 edition, where India edged out South Africa by seven runs in a closely contested match. That result adds further context and intensity to the current clash, as South Africa look to improve their record against the Men in Blue on the global stage.
T20 World Cup: Pakistan Secure Super Eight Spot with Dominant Win Over Namibia
Playing XIs
India:
Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan (wk), Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav (c), Hardik Pandya, Rinku Singh, Shivam Dube, Washington Sundar, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah and Varun Chakravarthy.
South Africa:
Aiden Markram (c), Quinton de Kock (wk), Ryan Rickelton, Dewald Brevis, Tristan Stubbs, David Miller, Marco Jansen, Corbin Bosch, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada and Lungi Ngidi.
Importance of the Match
With the tournament entering the Super Eight phase, every match carries significant weight in determining semifinal qualification. Both teams boast balanced squads, combining aggressive batting lineups with experienced bowling attacks.
India’s top order is known for its attacking approach, while South Africa possess a strong pace unit capable of exploiting early movement. The outcome of the powerplay overs could play a decisive role in shaping the match.
Overall, the contest not only impacts the points table but also adds another chapter to the competitive rivalry between the two sides in T20 World Cup history. Fans can expect a closely fought and high-quality encounter.
