South Africa extended their winning run in the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 with a comfortable victory over the United Arab Emirates in their final Group D match at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi on Wednesday, heading into the Super 8s with an unbeaten record.
Chasing a modest target of 124, South Africa’s innings was delayed by a light drizzle, but the Proteas showed no signs of rust once play resumed. Openers Aiden Markram and Quinton de Kock came out aggressively, racing to 32 inside three overs, with Markram leading the charge.
The South Africa captain smashed 32 off just 11 balls, including five fours and a six, before being bowled by Haider Ali in the third over. De Kock struggled to score freely and managed 14 off 16 balls before he was dismissed by Muhammad Jawadullah, ending a 24-run stand with Ryan Rickelton.
Rickelton then found support from Dewald Brevis, who played the most fluent knock of the chase. The pair ensured there were no hiccups as South Africa reached the target inside 14 overs.
UAE picked up four wickets, but South Africa’s batting depth and intent meant the chase was never in doubt. The rain interruption only delayed an outcome that looked inevitable from the start.
Earlier, South Africa’s bowlers had kept UAE in check, with Corbin Bosch producing a match-winning spell of 3 for 12 in four overs. Bosch was named Player of the Match and credited the conditions and teamwork for his success.
“The wicket set itself up. There was some nip early on and we communicated fantastically as bowlers,” Bosch said. “With a bit of rain this morning, it helped the wicket a little bit for us, so it definitely helped our seamers.”
Bosch, who also brought up 100 T20 wickets during the match, said he kept things simple and credited Markram’s leadership for keeping him calm. “It helps having Aiden as the captain. He tells me to execute my best ball at any given stage,” he said.
Nortje, Bosch keep UAE in check under cloudy skies
Asked to bat first under overcast conditions, the United Arab Emirates struggled to find momentum and were restricted to 122 for 6.
With Lungi Ngidi and Marco Jansen rested ahead of the Super Eights clash against India, Anrich Nortje made an immediate impact in his first appearance of the tournament. Bowling with pace and discipline, Nortje returned figures of 2 for 28 in four overs. Corbin Bosch complemented him effectively, claiming 3 for 12 in a probing spell that dented the UAE middle order.
South Africa’s decision to bowl first proved timely, as the seamers exploited the moisture on offer with short, sharp spells that kept the batters under pressure.
Sharafu’s resistance amid early setbacks
UAE’s innings revolved largely around Alishan Sharafu, who struck 45 off 38 balls, including five fours and a six. The right-hander, however, survived two dropped chances as South Africa’s fielders dropped regulation catches.
Captain Muhammad Waseem provided a brisk start with 22 off 12 deliveries, using the pace on offer to find boundaries. He and Aryansh Sharma looked to counterattack in the powerplay, but left-arm spinner George Linde broke the stand by trapping Waseem leg-before while attempting a sweep.
Once the field spread, UAE found it difficult to cope with the extra bounce. Sohaib Khan, who had scored consecutive half-centuries earlier in the tournament, edged Bosch behind to Quinton de Kock.
In total, UAE managed 10 boundaries, nine of which came from Sharafu and Waseem, highlighting their dependence on the duo.
Shortly after the innings concluded, a steady drizzle forced the ground staff to bring the covers on to protect the centre square.
