Narendra Modi Stadium pitch report: India vs South Africa Super 8 Group 1 Match ICC T20 World Cup 2026

By Samira Vishwas On Feb 22, 2026

India and South Africa gear up for match number 43 of the ICC T20 World Cup 2026, starting February 22. Both sides topped their respective groups to move to the Super 8s with a bang. This is the first clash of Super 8 Group 1. The likes of Zimbabwe and the West Indies are in this group as well. The top two sides will reach the last four.

Ahead of the contest, SA coach Shaukri Conrad said this India vs South Africa clash will be the match of the tournament. And rightly so, one predicts a blockbuster battle.

Both sides shone in the group stage and earned 4 successive wins. For the SA side, they earned a statement win over New Zealand. And also kept calm in a double Super Over against the Afghans. For India, they did enough, and the statement win over an in-form Pakistan in Colombo was noteworthy.

India T20 World Cup squad: Suryakumar Yadav (c), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Sanju Samson, Shivam Dube, Ishan Kishan, Hardik Pandya, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Varun Chakaravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Rinku Singh.

India will want to see Abhishek Sharma score runs. He owns three ducks in the tournament. The likes of Tilak Varma and Shivam Dube remain vital cogs as well. With the ball, Varun Chakravarthy remains a massive threat.

South Africa T20 World Cup squad: Aiden Markram (c), Quinton de Kock (w), Ryan Rickelton, Dewald Brevis, David Miller, Tristan Stubbs, Marco Jansen, George Linde, Kagiso Rabada, Keshav Maharaj, Lungi Ngidi, Corbin Bosch, Jason Smith, Anrich Nortje, Kwena Maphaka.

The Proteas will be keen to see Quinton de Kock and Aiden Markram dominate the show upfront. David Miller in the middle order is a superb force as well.

What is the H2H record between India and South Africa?

In terms of the head-to-head record, the two sides have met 7 times at the T20 World Cup. India own a 5-2 win-loss record. Overall, in T20Is, the teams have clashed 35 times. India own 21 wins compared to South Africa’s 13. One match didn’t have a result.

Probable XI of both teams

India probable XI for the match against SA: Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan (wk), Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav (c), Rinku Singh, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakarvarthy.

South Africa probable XI for the match versus IND: Aiden Markram (c), Quinton de Kock (wk), Ryan Rickelton, Dewald Brevis, Tristan Stubbs, David Miller, Corbin Bosch, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Marco Jansen, Lungi Ngidi.

Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad & Key Details of the Stadium

The Narendra Modi Stadium is the largest cricket stadium in the world. It can host up to 1,32,000 people. The stadium hosted the 2023 ODI World Cup final. It’s also set to be used at the 2030 Commonwealth Games. The first T20I held here was in 2021 between India and England.

What is the Pitch like at the Narendra Modi Stadium?

The pitch at the Narendra Modi Stadium is expected to provide a balanced contest between bat and ball. Batters will need to show patience early on, as scoring freely may not be easy at the start. However, once set, they can accelerate and post strong totals, especially in the latter half of the innings. For bowlers, wickets may come at a premium due to the flat nature of the surface and the large outfield, which often turns good shots into singles rather than boundaries. Bowlers will need to work hard for wickets and bowl nice varieties and in tight channels.

Key Stats & Records at the Narendra Modi Stadium

A total of 12 T20I matches have been played at the Narendra Modi Stadium.

India are featuring in their 10th T20I here. India have claimed seven wins and two defeats from 9 games. Both their defeats have been against England.

SA have played 4 matches here. They have lost one game and won two. One game was tied, which SA went on to win thereafter via Super Over.

India own the highest total here at this venue, scoring 234/4 versus New Zealand in February 2023. India also scored 231/5 versus South Africa in December 2025. India have the 3rd-highest score here as well, scoring 224/2 against England.

New Zealand’s score of 66 is the lowest total here. It was versus India in 2023. India’s 124/7 versus England in 2021 is the 2nd-lowest score.

Former T20I star Virat Kohli has scored the most runs here (258). Among active players, Hardik Pandya has 209 runs.

Pandya owns the most wickets here. He has 9 scalps. Meanwhile, Lungi Ngidi has bagged 8 scalps for the Proteas and sits 2nd.

IND vs SA: Weather Forecast – Will Rain Play a Role?

Ahmedabad is set for perfect cricket weather as India take on the Netherlands at 7:00 PM IST. Ahmedabad is expected to have warm weather on match day, with daytime temperatures around 30°C and cooler conditions at night, dropping below 23°C. Rain is not expected, so a full match is set to be played.

IND vs SA: Pitch Advantage for Which Side?

All things considered, India are the favourites given the nature of the wicket and their form in T20Is. They have plenty of batting firepower, which can unsettle the Proteas unit. However, South Africa will also provide a stern test.

FAQs – Pitch Report for Narendra Modi Stadium

What is the pitch report for Narendra Modi Stadium?

What is IND and SA’s record at the Narendra Modi Stadium?

At the Narendra Modi Stadium, the two teams will meet for the 2nd time. India own a 1-0 record against SA here. Overall, India are featuring in their 10th T20I here. India have claimed seven wins and two defeats from 9 games. Both their defeats have been against England. SA have tasted defeat just once here in 4 matches. They have 2 wins, and one game was tied before that was sealed via a Super Over.

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