India lost to South Africa by 76 runs in the T20 World Cup 2026 Super 8 match at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday.
Disbelief, defeat, danger
There was the sound of the air going out of a balloon at the Narendra Modi Stadium as the night wore on. That seemed to be the only sound at the venue where Pat Cummins once enjoyed silencing a big crowd. At the inning break, the target of 188 seemed well within reach, but maybe India had been lulled into a false sense of security in a relatively easy initial group. The margin of defeat – 76 runs – and the inevitability from a long way out was something the crowd found difficult to believe, judging by their facial expressions.
It was India’s first defeat in an ICC event since the 2023 50-over World Cup, and the crowd would have been forgiven for being completely blindsided by what transpired on the evening, after the start that suggested it would be another routine win. The danger of a premature ouster is now very real.
– Tushar Bhaduri
Bumrah’s bail-trimmer
Not one to celebrate his wickets too much these days, Jasprit Bumrah is what you’d describe as equanimous. But he was, as Shaun Pollock noted immediately on air, unhappy when he gave Quinton de Kock a late Christmas gift off the fourth ball he bowled. A rare poor delivery – a rank full toss outside off stump – was put away through cover-point for four. Bumrah went back to the top of his mark with annoyance writ large on his face. The next delivery, however, couldn’t have been more perfect. A length ball from around the stumps, angling in ever so slightly, and went through de Kock’s swing-and-miss. The best part was yet to come. The ball just trimmed the top of the bail between the middle and leg stump. The rest of the stumps barely moved, and that explained why de Kock was the last to realise he was done in. He blinked. Bumrah just put his arms up in the air with a smile on his face as de Kock glanced behind him and threw his head back in frustration.
– Vinayakk M
Killer Miller gets going with a swinging six
Perhaps the weight of not taking South Africa home against India still lingering on his shoulders, David Miller did the heavy lifting in the middle-overs as the sides faced off in the next edition. The designated finisher, he was still inside the powerplay with three top order South African wickets falling on 10, 12 and 20, and instead of consolidating on arrival, he launched a stunning assault. Not a stranger to this ground where commentators dub him Killer Miller in their dramatic ‘Keelurr Meelurr’ twang, the champion batter swung through the line, hitting a flurry of boundaries before a ‘if it is in the arc, it is out of the park’ written all over the six he hit off Varun Chakaravarthy. SA, for the first time were up and running thanks to Miller.
– Venkata Krishna B
No-look six, the Federer way
Several years ago, the legendary Richie Benaud had shared his peerless insight on hitting a big six, on commentary, saying a clean connection resulted from the batter keeping his eye on the ball as it made contact with the bat, and continuing to look at that particular spot even when the ball had left the bat. There’s a tennis analogy as well. As Roger Federer hit his elegant shots, a close-up would show him staring at the point of contact long after the ball had gone across the net.
Dewald Brevis displayed that technique when he hit Varun Chakaravarthy for a big six down the ground. The youngster with the moniker Baby AB made some room, and hit the mystery spinner to the sight-screen, without looking where the ball went, until it was a long way on its path. He knew where the ball was headed, for a no-look six, as the Proteas recovered after a disastrous start, targeting one of India’s trump cards.
– Tushar Bhaduri
Indian top order rattled by off-spin matchup
Right through the tournament a bad habit has crept into this Indian batting line-up. Losing wickets early is now turning into a migraine with opponents using the off-spinners as an early match-up. These bowlers offer no mystery, but do the basics enough — take the ball away from left-handers. In the chase it was South African captain, spinner Aiden Markram’s turn to inflict damage. He kept it straight to Ishan Kishan who’s been in red-hot form, denying the form batter any sort of width and let the batsman take the risk. Ishan Kishan obliged straightaway, and was out for a duck this time. Tilak Varma would follow soon, gone to Marco Jansen but it was the offspinner who struck the first blow, just as Salman Agha, Saim Ayub, Aryan Dutt and Gerhard Erasmus.
– Venkata Krishna B
