Ahmedabad, February 23: The Indian cricket team suffered a significant defeat against South Africa in their Super-8 match of the T20 World Cup 2026, held at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Sunday. This loss ended India’s winning streak that had continued since their defeat to England in the 2022 T20 World Cup semifinals.
South Africa set a challenging target of 188 runs for India. Under the pressure of chasing a high score, the Indian team collapsed, managing only 111 runs and losing the match by 76 runs. This defeat marks India’s largest loss in terms of runs in T20 World Cup history.
The score of 111 is also the third lowest in India’s T20 World Cup history. The team’s lowest score of 79 was recorded against New Zealand in Ahmedabad during the 2016 T20 World Cup. In the 2021 T20 World Cup, India scored 110 runs against New Zealand, while their fourth lowest score of 118 was against South Africa in 2009. Additionally, India scored 119 runs against Pakistan in the 2024 T20 World Cup in New York, but won that match.
Following this heavy defeat, India’s path to the semifinals has become challenging, with their run rate now in the negative. To keep their hopes alive for a semifinal spot, India must secure significant victories in their upcoming matches against Zimbabwe and West Indies. The match against Zimbabwe is scheduled for February 26 in Chennai, followed by a game against West Indies on March 1 in Kolkata.
Bhupendra Singh Chundawat is a seasoned technology journalist with over 22 years of experience in the media industry. He specializes in covering the global technology landscape, with a deep focus on manufacturing trends and the geopolitical impact on tech companies. Currently serving as the Editor at Udaipur Kiran, his insights are shaped by decades of hands-on reporting and editorial leadership in the fast-evolving world of technology.
