IND vs SA: 2024 T20 World Cup Finalists Open Their Super Eights Campaign In Ahmedabad

Ahmedabad: Defending champions India will start its Super Eights campaign in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup against South Africa at Narendra Modi Stadium here on Sunday. It is a mouth-watering clash between the 2024 T20 World Cup finalists, who topped Group A and D, respectively, in the initial stages.  

India has remained unbeaten but was tested by the USA and the Netherlands. They though were clinical against Namibia and Pakistan. The top-ranked T20I side in ICC rankings, India, has won 12 consecutive T20 World Cup games and will like to add to that record in the Super Eights. 

South Africa will be the first major test for India in this campaign. The Aiden Markram-led side had a major scare against Afghanistan, where they kept their nerves to prevail after two super overs as the match had ended in a dramatic tie.  

Both India and South Africa played in the warm-up game before the tournament, which India won at DY Patil Stadium, Navi Mumbai. India also defeated South Africa 3-1 in the five-match T20i series in December 2025, with one match abandoned in Lucknow. The last match was high scoring in Ahmedabad, which India won by 30 runs. 

Abhishek Sharma scored 34 runs in that T20I game and also 24 in the warm-up game. But the big-hitting opener has struggled in the World Cup so far, which has meant India haven’t unleashed their full firepower so far in the tournament.  

India played against the Netherlands on Wednesday and has been camped here since. They better know the conditions and would like to exploit it. Abhishek will like to unleash his bat swing finally, and Ishan Kishan will hope to continue his form. Tilak Varma and Suryakumar would like to consolidate on the start before Rinku Singh, Shivam Dube, and Hardik Pandya can go big in the death overs. 

India’s spinners Varun Chakaravarthy and Axar Patel will be the key. Home boy Axar is expected to come back for Arshdeep Singh. Washington Sundar is likely to keep his place on a sluggish Ahmedabad wicket. Jasprit Bumrah and Pandya will lead the pace attack with Dube for support.  

Proteas have spinners in George Lende, Keshav Maharaj, and Markram. However, Lungi Ngidi, has been the standout for them with variations on sluggish wickets. Kagiso Rabada reserves his best for the big games, and he will be itching to put up a show in front of the expected packed house at the stadium.  

Last time these two sides played an exciting final in Barbados, with South Africa choking in the end. A lot has changed since in both teams with the retirements of Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Ravindra Jadeja, and Heinrich Klaasen. Quinton De Kock also announced his retirement before reversing it to add to South Africa's firepower at the top, which also includes Aiden Markram, Dewald Brevis, David Miller, Ryan Rickelton, and Tristan Stubbs. 

Squads 

India: Suryakumar Yadav (c), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Sanju Samson, Shivam Dube, Ishan Kishan, Hardik Pandya, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Varun Chakaravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Rinku Singh.  

South Africa: Aiden Markram (c), Corbin Bosch, Dewald Brevis, Quinton de Kock, Marco Jansen, George Linde, Keshav Maharaj, Kwena Maphaka, David Miller, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Jason Smith, Tristan Stubbs.