Is Team India certain to be eliminated after losing to South Africa? Know what is the equation of entry in the semi-finals

T20 World Cup 2026, IND vs SA: The Indian cricket team has faced defeat in the first match at the Super-8 stage, South Africa has handed the hosts a big defeat by a margin of 76 runs. This is Team India’s first defeat in an ICC tournament after the World Cup 2023. Although losing a match does not reduce any team’s chances of winning the World Cup, this time the matter may be different. Let us see what is the equation for Team India going to the semi-finals? And what needs to be done for this?

Next matches from these 2 teams

In Super-8, 4 teams are included in one group, India has faced South Africa. Now the challenge of Zimbabwe and West Indies is standing in front. Both these teams have topped their group. Now it is necessary for India to beat both the teams, because a defeat will block the way to the semi-finals. The match against Zimbabwe is to be held on February 26 at Chennai ground, then the clash with West Indies is scheduled at Eden Gardens, Kolkata.

Also read – “We were in the game but…”, Suryakumar Yadav said after the crushing defeat to South Africa, told where Team India went wrong

Just winning won’t be enough

It will not be enough for the Indian team to register just a win against Zimbabwe and West Indies. Actually, due to the 76-run defeat against South Africa, the net run rate of Team India has become -3.800, this is considered a very bad situation. Losing by this margin in T20 cricket is considered equivalent to losing by an innings in Test cricket. To improve the net run rate, Team India will have to win the matches in a one-sided manner. So that if two teams are on equal points then India can go to the semi-finals by finishing second.

How did Team India lose?

Aiden Markram decided to bat first after winning the toss, South Africa set the target of 188 runs on the basis of David Miller’s 63-run innings despite losing 3 wickets at the score of 20. In response to which Team India was all-out on the score of just 111 in 18.4 overs. Shivam Dubey fought alone by scoring 47 runs, apart from him no other batsman could stay at the crease for long.

Also read – IND vs SA: Because of these 3 players, Team India lost, got divided against South Africa