India vs South Africa: T20 World Cup Super Eights – teams, start, lineups | ICC Men’s T20 World Cup News
India Faces South Africa in T20 World Cup Super Eights Match
AHMEDABAD, India— Defending champions India will commence their Super Eights campaign against South Africa on Sunday, February 22, at 7 p.m. local time (13:30 GMT) at the Narendra Modi Stadium. Viewers can follow the match with live commentary available on Al Jazeera Sport, starting at 10:30 GMT.
India, co-hosting the tournament, previously defeated South Africa in the 2024 T20 World Cup final. Both teams showed dominance in the group stage of the current tournament, making them heavy favorites to advance to the semifinals.
India Targets South Africa’s Top Order
India’s bowling coach, Morne Morkel, emphasized the importance of early wickets against South Africa’s formidable top order, particularly mentioning Quinton de Kock and Aiden Markram. “Their top order gives them that momentum,” Morkel noted, expressing confidence in his team’s strategy to disrupt South Africa’s rhythm.
India’s Path to the Super Eights
India secured their Super Eights spot by finishing atop their group with an unbeaten record, winning all four matches. The team began with a narrow victory over the USA, which was followed by a comprehensive 93-run win against Namibia. A climactic encounter against Pakistan concluded with a 61-run win for India, and they finished the group stage with a 17-run victory over the Netherlands.
South Africa’s Journey to the Super Eights
South Africa began its tournament with a commanding 57-run win over Canada. A closely contested match against Afghanistan required a Super Over for confirmation of victory. The Proteas solidified their place in the Super Eights with a seven-wicket win against New Zealand and concluded their group stage with another six-wicket win over the UAE.
Abhishek Sharma’s Form
While South Africa has displayed consistent performance across all aspects of the game, India has faced some challenges, notably with opener Abhishek Sharma, who has struggled with form, recording three consecutive scores of zero. Morkel remains optimistic that Sharma will soon find his rhythm. “He is a world-class player,” Morkel stated, adding that Sharma is close to breaking his scoring slump.
South Africa’s Confidence
Morkel recognized South Africa as a strong contender in the tournament. “They are full of confidence,” he remarked, highlighting the potential challenges India may face due to South Africa’s strong batting lineup. He stressed that execution on the day will be critical for India’s chances against their rivals.
T20 World Cup Records
India holds the distinction of being the joint-record winner of the T20 World Cup, having won in 2007 and again in 2024 against South Africa. Meanwhile, South Africa has yet to capture a T20 World Cup title, with their previous appearance in the final resulting in a narrow defeat to India in 2024.
Upcoming Matches
In related news, South Africa has announced a revised squad for its upcoming five-match T20 tour of New Zealand, featuring several uncapped players. The series will take place between March 15 and 25, after the completion of the current World Cup.
Team Records
In their previous encounters, India has triumphed in 21 of the 36 T20 matches against South Africa, who have won 13 times, with one match ending in no result.
Predicted Teams:
India:
Ishan Kishan (wk), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav (c), Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Rinku Singh, Axar Patel, Varun Chakaravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh.
South Africa:
Quinton de Kock (wk), Aiden Markram (c), Dewald Brevis, Tristan Stubbs, David Miller, Ryan Rickelton, Marco Jansen, George Linde, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje, Keshav Maharaj.
