Ahmedabad, 10 February (Sports Desk)
South Africa defeated Canada by 57 runs in Match 9 of Group D at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, played at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, India.
This was South Africa’s opening match of the tournament following their 2024 final heartbreak, and they delivered a commanding, all-round performance against Canada in their first-ever meeting in T20Is. The Proteas showcased strong batting depth and lethal pace bowling to secure a convincing win.
Match Summary
- Canada won the toss and elected to field first.
- South Africa posted a formidable 213/4 in 20 overs.
- Canada, chasing 214, finished at 156/8 in 20 overs.
- Result: South Africa won by 57 runs.
- Player of the Match: Lungi Ngidi (South Africa) — for his devastating 4/31 in 4 overs that dismantled Canada’s top order.
South Africa Innings (213/4 in 20 overs)
South Africa’s batting was clinical and explosive, building on a solid platform to post their second-highest T20 World Cup total.
- Aiden Markram (c): 59 off 32 balls — aggressive captain’s knock with quick boundaries to set the tone.
- David Miller: 39* off late cameos — provided finishing power.
- Ryan Rickelton, Dewald Brevis, and Tristan Stubbs contributed with handy knocks in partnerships.
- David Miller and others pushed the score with late acceleration.
Canada’s bowlers, including Ansh Patel (3/31), picked up wickets but couldn’t stem the flow of runs on a good batting surface.
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Canada Innings (156/8 in 20 overs)
Canada’s chase never truly ignited after early blows from South Africa’s pacers.
- Navneet Dhaliwal: 64 off 49 balls — top-scored with a fighting fifty, keeping some hope alive in the middle overs.
- Lower-order contributions helped them reach 156/8, but it was never enough.
Lungi Ngidi was the star: 4/31 in 4 overs (economy 7.75). He struck on the very first ball (Dilpreet Bajwa golden duck), then took two more in the powerplay (Yuvraj Samra and Nicholas Kirton), reducing Canada to 26/3. His fourth wicket came later to seal any comeback hopes.
Supporting spells:
- Marco Jansen: 2/30
- Kagiso Rabada: 1 wicket
- Corbin Bosch: 1 wicket
Canada lost early momentum and couldn’t recover despite Dhaliwal’s resistance.
Key Highlights
- Ngidi’s masterclass: His powerplay spell (three wickets) broke the back of the chase, earning him POTM for his match-defining performance.
- South Africa’s pace attack (Ngidi, Rabada, Jansen, Bosch) dominated, showcasing why they remain a force.
- This win gave South Africa a strong start in Group D, building confidence after recent near-misses.
- Canada showed fight through Dhaliwal but were outclassed by superior experience and firepower.
A comprehensive victory for the Proteas — batting firepower followed by a clinical bowling display. Lungi Ngidi’s early and impactful spell made all the difference
