South Africa handed defending champions India their first defeat of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026, securing a commanding victory byĀ 76 runs in their Super 8 opener. Chasing a formidable target of 188 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, the Indian batting line-up suffered a significant collapse, ultimately falling well short of the required total. Ā Team India Funny Memes Go Viral As Men in Blue Suffer Massive Batting Collapse During IND vs SA T20 World Cup 2026 Super 8 Match.

South Africa Wins Big

India's Nightmare Chase

Indiaā€™s top order failed to establish momentum against a disciplined South African bowling attack. Top-order batters Ishan Kishan, Tilak Varma, Abhishek Sharma, and captain Suryakumar Yadav were all dismissed cheaply, leaving the hosts struggling at 51 for 5 by the ninth over.

The situation worsened during the middle overs as the required run rate climbed rapidly. South African spinner Keshav Maharaj delivered the decisive blow in the 15th over, taking three wicketsā€”Hardik Pandya, Rinku Singh, and Arshdeep Singhā€”to dismantle the lower-middle order and reduce India to 88 for 8. Despite brief resistance from Shivam Dube, the Men in Blue were unable to recover, marking their first loss of the tournament.

South Africa'sĀ Strong Recovery

The match began positively for the hosts after South African captain Aiden Markram won the toss and elected to bat. The Indian pace attack, led by Jasprit Bumrah, dismantled the Proteas' top order, reducing them to 20 for 3 within the first four overs. Bumrah was highly effective, bowling Quinton de Kock and dismissing Ryan Rickelton, while Arshdeep Singh removed Markram.

However, South Africa staged a resilient recovery. Veteran batter David Miller anchored the innings with a crucial 63 off 35 deliveries, supported by Dewald Brevis, who contributed 45 runs. The pair forged a 97-run partnership for the fourth wicket. A late, unbeaten cameo of 44 off 24 balls by Tristan Stubbs propelled the visitors to a highly competitive total of 187 for 7.

Bumrah remained the standout bowler for India, finishing with figures of 3-15 and surpassing Ravichandran Ashwin to become India's all-time leading wicket-taker in T20 World Cup history.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 22, 2026 10:43 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).