India vs South Africa Score, T20 World Cup 2026 – Will Abhishek Sharma finally break the jinx?

Daily Update, Sports

Morkels reignite battle of the backyard

The biggest match of the 2026 T20 World Cup so far is also a contest between two members of the same family like Morne Morkel and Albie Morkel come up against each other from the dug-out.

Eleven team-mates, briefly at the international level and for a longer period domestically, are now on opposite sides as India’s bowling coach and South Africa’s T20 specialist advisor.

Here’s how Malan Morkel, the oldest of the three siblings, who had a brief under-19 career and now works as a coach at one of South Africa’s most prestigious schools, sees this battle.

Ngidi’s slower balls

Lungi Ngidi has bowled slower balls with a high frequency and plenty of success: 30% slower balls for an efficiency of 4.9 and four out of his eight wickets in this tournament. His slower ones have been different from the ones in vogue: loopy full ones that tend to dip, and not the into-the-pitch ones in vogue. He has bowled 25 slower balls that are either in the slot or full tosses, but has awarded just 17 off them and taken three wickets. If India could watch out for them, there could be scoring opportunities in them as they could be picked from the release unlike the knuckle balls. However, on a black soil pitch, Ngidi will bank on low bounce and continue to bowl these even with the new ball.

A black-soil surface

The night games in Ahmedabad have been high-scoring and chasing-friendly. India played Netherlands on black soil, which explained a bit of slowness on the surface. This match will be played on a black-soil surface to temper your expectations of runs. Still sides will want to chase after winning the toss. Highs of 34 degree Celsius are warm for February, which should concern us overall, but there is no rain threat to the match.

Arshdeep Singh expectedly returned for the last match, but India saved Axar Patel to give Washington Sundar a game. Axar should come back into the XI.

India (likely): 1 Abhishek Sharma, 2 Ishan Kishan (wk), 3 Tilak Varma, 4 Suryakumar Yadav (capt.), 5 Hardik Pandya, 6 Rinku Singh, 7 Shivam Dube, 8 Axar Patel, 9 Arshdeep Singh, 10 Jasprit Bumrah, 11 Varun Chakravarthy.

South Africa rested Lungi Ngidi in their last game, giving Kagiso Rabada time to achieve full rhythm while also testing out Anrich Nortje. Ngidi, still their leading wicket-taker, should come back at the cost of one of the big quicks. This being a night game, Corbin Bosch is likelier to get the nod ahead of George Linde.

South Africa (likely): 1 Aiden Markram (capt.), 2 Quinton de Kock (wk), 3 Ryan Rickelton, 4 Dewald Brevis, 5 Tristan Stubbs, 6 David Miller, 7 Marco Jansen, 8 Corbin Bosch, 9 Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada/Anrich Nortje, 11 Lungi Ngidi.

In the spotlight: Kishan and Markram

The two openers have been setting the tournament alight. Not long ago none of them were opening. Ishan Kishan is a bolter thanks to his performance in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. In December when South Africa last played India in Ahmedabad, Aiden Markram was batting at No. 5. Now they are the leading openers of the tournament having aggregated in 170s at almost two a ball. A lot of time will be spent on them in the respective strategy meetings.

Some are calling this the final before the final.India were the clear favorites anyway, and South Africa have emerged unbeaten from the toughest group of the drawing. Their easy win against New Zealand has sent warning signs.

A budding rivalry that began with the last T20 World Cup final, which South Africa lost despite bossing it for 35 overs, continued as they had their own back with a Test whitewash of India in India.

Throw in high stakes. This is no longer a match in which only India stand to lose something although they will not want to be the South Africa stood to lose a lot as well.

You lose this match, and the remaining two become must-wins but not a guarantee to make the semifinals. It is a blockbuster start to the Group 1 Super Eight round. South Africa have been accustomed to the Ahmedabad conditions by having played three of their four matches there. India don’t need any more familiarity with Ahmedabad as each important match of any series or tournament invariably ends up there.

The last game was the last T20I in the series against South Africa where India overcame the toss and buried South Africa by piling 231 runs. At that time, South Africa didn’t have any idea what their best Now they will hope to put up a much better fight against the all-conquering Indian side.

India takes on South Africa in the T20 World Cup

Irfan Pathan believes that the Indian cricket team should not make major changes to the playing Irfan suggested that India should make only one change – bring back Axar Patel in place of Washington Sundar. Axar was eliminated for the final group stage match against Netherlands and Pathan said that he should come back for the crucial match against the Proteas. The former India all-rounder also pointed out that the team management could be tempted to add Kuldeep Yadav to the side but considering Arshdeep Singh’s brilliant record against Quinton De Kock, Pathan advised Suryakumar Yadav and Co to persist with the left-arm pacer.

“Lungi Ngidi bowls around 140 km/h, and his slower ones are around 110 km/h. That is a 30 km difference, which is big. One thing you notice is that every delivery the bowls finishes near the stumps. But more important is his release. Look at his action. When he is about to finish, the batter has already made up his mind that the ball will be quick.