In a high-stakes Super 8 clash of the T20 World Cup 2026 at Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium, South Africa captain Aiden Markram won the toss and elected to bat first against India on Sunday. The Proteas made four changes to their lineup, bringing back Lungi Ngidi, Marco Jansen, and Keshav Maharaj, while India stuck with their winning combination unchanged.
Markram was upbeat post-toss, stating, ‘We wanted to bat first. This is a chance for everyone to put on a strong show. We’re lucky to have prior experience on this ground.’ He highlighted the returning players as key boosts.
India’s skipper Suryakumar Yadav revealed he too would have chosen batting if they had won the toss. Under his leadership, India remains unbeaten, having dominated the group stage with four straight wins. Opener Ishan Kishan leads the run charts for India with 176 runs at a blistering 202 strike rate across four matches. Suryakumar himself has notched 162 runs, providing solid middle-order stability.
The bowling attack has been spearheaded by Varun Chakaravarthy, who has claimed 9 wickets in four games, baffling opponents with his mystery spin. Hardik Pandya has contributed with both bat and ball, while Jasprit Bumrah has been economical and wicket-taking.
South Africa also topped their group unbeaten, with Markram amassing 178 runs at 187 strike rate. Ryan Rickelton follows with 145 runs at 190 strike rate. Ngidi’s fiery pace could trouble India today.
India XI: Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan, Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav (c), Hardik Pandya, Rinku Singh, Shivam Dube, Washington Sundar, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakaravarthy.
South Africa XI: Aiden Markram (c), Quinton de Kock, Ryan Rickelton, Dewald Brevis, Tristan Stubbs, David Miller, Marco Jansen, Corbin Bosch, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi, Keshav Maharaj.
With both teams in top form, this matchup promises fireworks under the Ahmedabad lights.