South Africa hand India their biggest defeat in ICC T20 World Cups
South Africa beat India by 76 runs in their opening T20 World Cup Super 8 encounter in Ahmedabad.
 "South Africa hand India their biggest defeat in ICC T20 World Cups")
| Biggest defeat for India in T20 World Cup (by runs) | |||
| Margin (Runs) | Opponent | Venue | Year |
| 76 | South Africa | Ahmedabad | 2026 |
| 49 | Australia | Bridgetown | 2010 |
| 47 | New Zealand | Nagpur | 2016 |
| Lowest total registered by India in T20 World Cups | |||
| Total | Opponent | Venue | Year |
| 79 | New Zealand | Nagpur | 2016 |
| 110/7 | New Zealand | Dubai | 2021 |
| 111 | South Africa | Ahmedabad | 2026 |
| 118/8 | South Africa | Nottingham | 2009 |
| 119 | Pakistan | New York | 2024 |
South Africa posted a competitive 187/7, led by David Miller’s 63 off 35 balls, complemented by Dewald Brevis (45) and Tristan Stubbs (44*). Despite early setbacks, Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh had reduced the Proteas to 20/3, but South Africa’s middle-order partnership ensured a strong total. India’s chase, however, quickly unravelled. Marco Jansen (4/22), Keshav Maharaj (3/24), and Corbin Bosch (2/12) bowled with precision, exploiting India’s technical weaknesses on a slow, gripping surface.
Ishan Kishan (0) and Tilak Varma (1) fell cheaply, while Abhishek Sharma (15) failed to find form. Suryakumar Yadav (18) struggled to find rhythm, and Washington Sundar provided little impact. Hardik Pandya (18) and Shivam Dube (42) staged a brief resistance, adding 35 runs together, but disciplined bowling from Ngidi, Bosch, and Maharaj prevented any significant momentum shift.
India’s approach, heavily reliant on aggressive hitting, was neutralised by South Africa’s tactical execution, leaving the hosts bowled out for just 111 in 18.5 overs. Despite individual brilliance from Bumrah, the batting collapse underscored India’s vulnerability under pressure. The Proteas’ comprehensive performance, combining early breakthroughs and smart middle-overs bowling, not only secured a dominant victory but also highlighted India’s urgent need to recalibrate their batting strategy to remain competitive in the tournament.