Who: India vs South Africa
What: T20 World Cup Super Eights
Where: Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, India
When: Sunday, February 22, at 7pm (13:30 GMT)
How to follow: We’ll have all the buildup on Al Jazeera Sport from 10:30 GMT in advance of our text commentary stream.
Defending champions and tournament co-hosts India begin their Super Eights phase on Sunday against the team they defeated in the 2024 final, South Africa.
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Both sides stormed through the group stage of the 2026 edition and look heavy favourites to at least reach the semifinals, with the Indians clear favourites to lift the trophy once again.
Al Jazeera Sport takes a look at the most mouth-watering match-up of two of the heavy contenders for the crown so far at the tournament.
India gunning for South Africa’s top order
India’s bowlers will target early wickets against South Africa, said bowling coach Morne Morkel on Friday.
“We know that their top order gives them that momentum, with Quinton (de Kock) and Aiden (Markram) up front in good form and hitting the ball very well,” said the former South Africa quick bowler Morkel.
“We will definitely put our best foot forward to try and get those early wickets.”
How did India reach the T20 World Cup Super Eights?
India stormed their group to claim top spot with four wins from four. A slightly nervous start against USA was followed by a thumping 93-run win against Namibia.
The game everyone had their eyes on was the latest pairing with rivals Pakistan, which resulted in a 61-run win, while the final game saw the Netherlands fall only 17 runs short of their 194 target.
How did South Africa reach the T20 World Cup Super Eights?
South Africa opened their tournament with a 57-run win against Canada, but needed a Super Over to confirm their win against Afghanistan in their second match.
New Zealand were given a thumping by the Proteas, who claimed a seven-wicket win to confirm their passage to the Super Eights with a game to spare, before completing the group with a six-wicket win against the UAE.
India expect Abhishek to return to form soon
While Markram’s South Africa have looked strong in all departments, tournament favourites India have not enjoyed batting consistency, with opener Abhishek Sharma out of form. Morkel, though, predicts he will be back among the runs soon.
Morkel said the left-hander, who has recorded three consecutive ducks, was just one innings away from getting back in the zone.
“Absolutely no discussion in our team group about that,” said Morkel about Abhishek’s failure to score in any of the matches yet.
“He is a world-class player. We are going to a very important phase of the World Cup now and I am sure he is going to deliver.
“I am pretty sure he is hitting the ball in the nets.
“It is just a matter of getting the start and getting the innings going.”
Can South Africa be the team to stop India at the T20 World Cup?
Morkel acknowledged South Africa have been one of the form teams of the T20 World Cup so far.
“They are a team that’s full of confidence,” said Morkel.
“They have got guys at the top who are in form. In terms of weaknesses, there aren’t many.”
South Africa have also shown guts when needed, coming out victorious after two nerve-shredding super overs against Afghanistan.
“For us it comes down, on the day, to how well we execute with the bat and the ball,” said Morkel of defending champions India.
“It’s going to be world-class players against each other. It is going to be a mouth-watering thing.”
What is India’s record in T20 World Cup cricket?
Not only are India the defending champions after their victory against South Africa at the 2024 edition, but they are also the joint-record winners of the T20 World Cup.
The Indian side won their inaugural event in 2007, beating Pakistan in the final, but that made for a long wait for their second win at the last edition.
England and the West Indies have both also recorded two tournament wins.
What is South Africa’s record in T20 World Cup cricket?
South Africa still await their first T20 World Cup title. In fact, the wait goes on for the Proteas to lift any trophy at a major ICC tournament.
Their seven-run defeat at the hands of India in the 2024 edition was their first appearance in a final of either a T20 World Cup or a 50-over Cricket World Cup.
South Africa make surprise wholesale T20 changes for future tour
South Africa have named a much-changed squad that includes five uncapped players for their five-match Twenty20 tour of New Zealand next month, leaving behind most of the team that have qualified for the Super Eights at the ongoing World Cup in India and Sri Lanka.
Batters Connor Esterhuizen, Dian Forrester and Jordan Hermann, all-rounder Eathan Bosch and teenage seamer Nqobani Mokoena will all hope to make their international debuts on the tour.
Hermann is the younger brother of Rubin, who is also in the squad and has been capped in One Day Internationals and T20 matches for South Africa, while Bosch is the younger sibling of Corbin, who has impressed at the World Cup.
The side will be captained by spinner Keshav Maharaj, with a return for seamers Gerald Coetzee, Lutho Sipamla and Ottneil Baartman.
Three players from the current World Cup squad will tour: Maharaj, spinner George Linde and all-rounder Jason Smith.
“With this series taking place directly after the T20 World Cup, the majority of that squad will return home, which creates a great opportunity for this group of players to step into the international environment and show what they’re about at this level,” South Africa coach Shukri Conrad said.
The five-match series will be played between March 15 and 25.
Head-to-head
This will be the 36th meeting between the sides in T20 internationals. India have won 21 of the matches, while South Africa have claimed victory on 13 occasions with one no result/abandonment.
Predicted India team:
Ishan Kishan (wk), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav (c), Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Rinku Singh, Axar Patel, Varun Chakaravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh
Predicted South Africa team:
Quinton de Kock (wk), Aiden Markram (c), Dewald Brevis, Tristan Stubbs, David Miller, Ryan Rickelton, Marco Jansen, George Linde, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje, Keshav Maharaj