T20 World Cup 2026: Five Reasons For India's Defeat As Proteas End Defending Champions' Winning Streak

Ahmedabad: The Super 8 Group 1 match of the T20 World Cup 2026 was played between India and South Africa at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday. Team India suffered a crushing 76-run defeat in this match. This defeat severely affected Team India's net run rate, denting India's hopes of reaching the semi-finals. Therefore, it is important to understand the reasons behind this crushing defeat.

How did the Indian bowlers perform?

South Africa also did not have a good start in this match. Three of South Africa's top batsmen were dismissed at the score of 20. It was expected that the Indian bowlers would maintain this pressure. However, Miller and Brevis released all the pressure and batted aggressively. They shared a 97-run partnership.

How did the Indian spinners perform?

South Africa took the Indian spinners to task in this match. Varun Chakravarthy gave away 47 runs in 4 overs, while Sundar conceded 17 runs in 2 overs. The spinners only took one wicket.

What about Hardik Pandya's last over?

Hardik gave away 20 runs in the last over. At one point, it seemed India would restrict South Africa to 175. But Hardik's over reduced the target to 188, putting mental pressure on the Indian batsmen.

How much did Abhishek Sharma and the Indian openers contribute?

The Indian openers disappointed once again in this match. Ishan Kishan was dismissed without opening his account in the very first over. Tilak Verma also departed cheaply. Abhishek Sharma was expected to play a big innings, but he too was dismissed for 15 runs.

What are questions about the Indian batsmen?

Every Indian batsman seemed intent on hitting a six from the very first ball. No one bothered to even understand the pitch. Abhishek wasn't getting the ball. He should have given himself time, built partnerships, and focused on singles and doubles. Instead, he tried to play every ball with big shots, resulting in a loss. The same fate befell Ishan, Tilak, and Sundar.

Was Washington Sundar used properly?

India replaced Axar with Sundar in this match. However, he failed in both batting and bowling. While Axar is effective in all three, batting, bowling, and fielding. Sundar was only allowed to bowl two overs, and this experiment also failed miserably.