South Africa's Marco Jansen (2R) celebrates with Kagiso Rabada (L), David Miller (2L) and Tristan Stubbs after taking a catch to dismiss Afghanistan's Sediqullah Atal during the 2026 ICC Men's T20 Cricket World Cup group stage match at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on February 11, 2026. Picture: Shammi MEHRA / AFP
Image: Shammi MEHRA / AFP
Supporting the Proteas at Cricket World Cups is hard work, even though they won all their group games. It was not without incredible anxiety, like we saw in the Afghanistan clash, but now that South Africa is headed to the Super Eights, should they be expected to keep up their dominant displays?
Of course, beating New Zealand comprehensively is a rather different prospect to taking on T20 World Cup co-hosts India.
The Proteas will face India on Sunday in Ahmedabad— at the venue they already played their first three matches of the tournament.
Those matches were against Canada, Afghanistan, and New Zealand. By now, the Proteas would have become well accustomed to the conditions in Ahmedabad.
In contrast, India have played at four different venues in their four matches, although their last group match was also in Ahmedabad.
Still, it’s quite something that the host nation has done much more travelling than South Africa during the tournament.
That will definitely help settle the Proteas dressing room, and they will be more than ready for their crucial clash.
Then there’s the fact that this is a rematch of the 2024 T20 World Cup final. Though this is a Super Eights game, there is still far less pressure in this kind of encounter.
Again, that will definitely play in favour of South Africa as the host nation will be under far more pressure to perform.
In fact, India will still be considered favourites for this match— but that’s probably exactly how the Proteas want it, and they won’t be surprised if they go on to emerge victorious.
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