All posts tagged: india vs south africa

South Africa hands India their first loss

South Africa hands India their first loss

Published by Webster

India fell to their first defeat of the 2026 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup, losing to South Africa by six wickets in Manchester on Sunday. Having opted to bat first in skipper Harmanpreet Kaur’s 200th T20I, most of the Indian batters struggled to get going as they posted 158/7 in 20 overs. Opener Shafali Verma with a 15-ball 31 was the only batter who looked comfortable in the middle, while the rest struggled to put the South African bowlers away. Veteran pacers Marizanne Kapp (2-27) and Shabnim Ismail (2-28) starred for South Africa, scalping two wickets apiece. While Kapp’s victim included Smriti Mandhana and Richa Ghosh, Ismail sent back Verma and Harmanpreet Kaur. With a partly total to defend, left-arm spinner Sree Charani waged a lone war for India, scalping three wickets for 24 runs including a double wicket maiden in her quota of four overs. India dropped Kapp twice in the innings as she went on to play a match-winning unbeaten 45-ball 81 to help South Africa to a comfortable victory with five deliveries …

‘BCCI controls the ICC’: Simon Harmer on SA’s WTC final win and global cricket balance | Cricket News

‘BCCI controls the ICC’: Simon Harmer on SA’s WTC final win and global cricket balance | Cricket News

Published by Webster

3 min readMay 5, 2026 04:34 PM IST South African off-spinner Simon Harmer said that India’s dominance in world cricket was underpinned by its commercial and administrative power, arguing that South Africa’s World Test Championship (WTC) triumph had not significantly altered the global balance. South Africa defeated Australia by five wickets to win the WTC final at Lord’s last year, their first major red-ball crown since readmission in 1991-92. “Because of their commercial power, they have all of the power,” Harmer told The Guardian. “The BCCI control the ICC. But what can we do? As a player, you just control the controllables. The only thing that changes the narrative is winning trophies.” Harmer was part of the South African side that defeated India 2-0 at home last year to inflict a second consecutive series loss at home on the Shubman Gill-led side. He expressed admiration for the current South African setup under head coach Shukri Conrad and captain Temba Bavuma, describing it as a side built on collective strength rather than star power. “That team …

‘We could have been little smarter’: Suryakumar Yadav reflects on India’s bowling performance after beating Zimbabwe in T20 World Cup Super 8 clash | Cricket News

‘We could have been little smarter’: Suryakumar Yadav reflects on India’s bowling performance after beating Zimbabwe in T20 World Cup Super 8 clash | Cricket News

Published by Webster

3 min readFeb 26, 2026 11:14 PM IST Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav admitted that his side could have put in a better bowling performance in the second innings of the T20 World Cup Super 8 clash against Zimbabwe in Chennai on Thursday. The 35-year-old credited the visitors for their batting effort in their pursuit of 257 runs, admitting that his bowlers could have been smarter in the chase. Chasing 257 runs for victory, Zimbabwe finished on 184/6 after 20 overs with Brian Bennett making a splendid, unbeaten 97 off 59 balls, carrying on from his fine batting form in the tournament. “To be very honest, we could have been a little more clinical with the ball. But at the end of the day, a win is a win, and we’ll take it as we move forward. We’ll definitely tighten a few screws when we go and play the West Indies cricket team. I don’t want to take any credit away from the Zimbabwean batters.” “I think they batted beautifully. Yes, the wicket was good, but …

Why Dale Steyn thinks Ngidi-Jansen are the best ‘slower ball bowling’ pace pair at the T20 World Cup | Cricket News

Why Dale Steyn thinks Ngidi-Jansen are the best ‘slower ball bowling’ pace pair at the T20 World Cup | Cricket News

Published by Webster

3 min readFeb 26, 2026 01:08 PM IST Batsmen haven’t exactly set this World Cup on fire with an outrageous knock or two, though Harry Brook set down the gauntlet. Bowlers though, seem to have found a word or two to slip in, mostly using the slower deliveries to take tge pace off and deflate hitting arcs of bludgeons. South Africa’s versatile former speedster Dale Steyn said on his social media that while there are many laudable bowling performances, his compatriots Lungi Ngidi and Marci Jansen had his heart and attention, as the best practitioners of the slower balls. LIVE | West Indies vs South Africa, T20 World Cup 2026 “There’s obviously plenty fantastic bowlers at this WC, but talking slower balls specifically, I think the skills of Ngidi and Jansen, as a pair, are the best in the tournament. Knuckles from Jansen (11 wkts). Slow dipper from Ngidi (8),” Steyn posted and responded to followers on Twitter. “Batters finding it tough to read one dude, and there’s another coming…That’s trouble for batters,” he added after …

Energy and buzz in South Africa camp after win vs India, but not getting carried away, says Keshav Maharaj | Cricket News

Energy and buzz in South Africa camp after win vs India, but not getting carried away, says Keshav Maharaj | Cricket News

Published by Webster

3 min readFeb 26, 2026 11:28 AM IST There is a renewed sense of belief in the South Africa camp after their morale-boosting win over India, but the left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj made it clear that the Proteas are staying grounded ahead of their crucial Super-8 clash against the West Indies on Thursday. Reflecting on the mood in the dressing room, Maharaj admitted that the victory over India had lifted the spirits significantly. “There was a real energy and buzz in the camp after beating probably the best side in the competition,” Maharaj said during the pre-match press conference. However, he was quick to underline that the team is not allowing the win to cloud their focus. “But we’re not getting carried away. There’s still a lot of cricket to be played. It’s about dusting ourselves off, doing things better and focusing on the positives,” he added. Although South Africa have largely stayed at the same venue, Keshav Maharaj dismissed any suggestion of a home-like advantage in Ahmedabad, pointing out that surfaces have behaved differently …

David Miller reveals how South Africa dismantled Varun Chakaravarthy: ‘We’ve got to take him down, because he is a threat to every team’ | Cricket News

David Miller reveals how South Africa dismantled Varun Chakaravarthy: ‘We’ve got to take him down, because he is a threat to every team’ | Cricket News

Published by Webster

3 min readFeb 23, 2026 02:42 PM IST Varun Chakaravarthy has been key to India dominating opposition sides with the ball over the past one and a half years or so, particularly in the ongoing T20 World Cup with the defending champions often suffering from batting collapses. However, he ended up being taken to the cleaners on Sunday in their first Super Eights clash against South Africa and India ended up being thrashed by 76 runs. David Miller and Dewald Brevis laid into Chakaravarthy and the spinner ended up conceding a whopping 47 runs in his four overs. Miller, who scored 63 off 35 balls, said that they were looking to make sure that they make the most of any bad delivery from Chakravarthy. “I think it’s just about really making sure that we were on it in terms of if he bowls a bad ball we got to put it away – so a little bit more intent and it wasn’t spinning too much tonight, so you can kind of trust the line,” Miller …

‘Drop the ego’: Aiden Markram on how South Africa toppled India in T20 World Cup Super 8s clash | Cricket News

‘Drop the ego’: Aiden Markram on how South Africa toppled India in T20 World Cup Super 8s clash | Cricket News

Published by Webster

3 min readUpdated: Feb 23, 2026 11:15 AM IST South Africa captain Aiden Markram was all praise for David Miller and Dewald Brevis and their bowlers in their stunning victory over India in the T20 World Cup Super Eights on Monday. South Africa were off to a disastrous start in the powerplay batting first in the match but that ended up being a distant memory as they ended up condemning India, heavy favourites to win the tournament, to a 76-run defeat. South Africa lost three wickets in the first four overs. However, Dewald Brevis and David Miller then turned it around for them with a 97-run stand for the fourth wicket that came in just 51 balls. “Great performance. I think first and foremost was the partnership,” said Markram after the match. “The guys were great, put that together for us, steadied the ship and kept us in the game.” Markram praised the pair and Tristan Stubbs later for the way they finished the innings. While Brevis and Miller scored 45 (29 balls) and 63 …

We are allowed one mess-up, and we did it on grand scale: Ryan ten Doeschate on India’s stunning T20 World Cup Super 8s loss | Cricket News

We are allowed one mess-up, and we did it on grand scale: Ryan ten Doeschate on India’s stunning T20 World Cup Super 8s loss | Cricket News

Published by Webster

5 min readFeb 23, 2026 10:36 AM IST Defending champions India’s defeat to South Africa was so wholesome that whichever it’s looked at, there are campaign-ending flaws. It was a game where India’s skills, planning, execution and tactics backfired. India’s assistant coach Ryan Ten Doeschate was scathing in his assessment of the defeat. “When you set up or set out to win a World Cup, we don’t expect someone to come and deliver the World Cup to you halfway through the competition,” he said. One bad day was bound to come, he said, while leaving them with little wriggle room but to win the next two games. “We understand we are probably allowed to mess up one game in this phase of the competition. We’ve messed up on a grand scale and now the onus is on this group of guys to turn around and put in two solid performances against Zimbabwe and West Indies. It’s going to need two big performances and a big bounce back from everyone involved,” he said. Tactically, India erred …

We had a complete off day, says India batting coach on T20 World Cup Super 8s defeat to South Africa | Cricket News

We had a complete off day, says India batting coach on T20 World Cup Super 8s defeat to South Africa | Cricket News

Published by Webster

4 min readFeb 23, 2026 10:22 AM IST India’s batting coach Sitanshu Kotak didn’t blame pressure or inexperience for their capitulation to a well-groomed South Africa side in Ahmedabad on Sunday. He put it on a “complete off-day”. “If you ask me, I wouldn’t say it is pressure. I would not say it is inexperience either,” he said, firming up his voice. “If we call it inexperience, after all the T20 games, IPL and international matches, I don’t know what you can call experience? Secondly, I don’t think there is any pressure. Today, particularly, I think we had a complete off day,” he said bluntly. Kotak pointed out that 188 was an achievable target on this surface. “If it goes to 220, then it’s a tough chase. But, 180, 190, you have to chase. So, pressure or inexperience, I don’t think it is the case,” he said. Glitches have come to crease what has been a flawless batting firm before the tournament. The left-handed heaviness and the ploy of unleashing off-spinners has worked to great …

How India can still reach semifinal after 76-run loss to South Africa in Super 8 match

How India can still reach semifinal after 76-run loss to South Africa in Super 8 match

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3 min readUpdated: Feb 23, 2026 12:09 AM IST An inspired South Africa decimated India in their opening Super 8 game of the T20 World Cup 2026 at the Narendra Modi Stadium, thrashing Suryakumar Yadav’s side by 76 runs on Sunday in what was a dominant performance by the last edition’s finalist against the defending champions. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW VIDEO India’s net run rate took a significant hit after the annihilation, dropping to -3.800. Meanwhile, South Africa have taken a major step toward making amends and completing their unfinished business of winning the World Cup, having lost the 2024 edition by just seven runs against the same Indian team. India now find themselves in a spot of bother regarding their semifinal qualification hopes. With the marquee game going away from the Men in Blue’s way, India have their tasks cut out for the next two games against Zimbabwe and the West Indies. India will take on Sikandar Raza’s unbeaten Zimbabwe in Chennai before facing another high-on-confidence side, the West Indies, in Kolkata. SUPER 8 GROUP …