South Africa faces Canada in the 9th match of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, Group D clash at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
This high-stakes opener kicks off on February 9, 2026, at 7:00 PM IST (2:30 PM local time). The massive venue, known for its vast boundaries, sets the stage for a potential run-fest under the lights.
Ahmedabad’s pitch favors batsmen early with true bounce and pace, but it slows down later, bringing spinners into play and aiding chases—teams bowling first have often won here, with par scores around 175-185. Clear skies are forecast with no rain chance, temperatures between 23-27°C, and low humidity for a full, uninterrupted game.
Both teams desperately need these opening points in the “Group of Death” alongside New Zealand, Afghanistan, and UAE—South Africa eyes a strong Super 8 push after 2024’s final heartbreak, while Canada aims to stun in their second T20 World Cup. A win catapults the victor toward qualification momentum.
South Africa rides a 2-1 home T20I series win over West Indies but carries baggage from 20 losses in 32 T20Is since mid-2024, showing batting fragility under pressure despite bowling depth. Canada enters with mixed vibes: five warm-up wins but losses to Italy and Nepal in official hit-outs; their Americas qualifier triumph, led by spinners like Shivam Sharma (11 wickets), fuels underdog fire.
SA vs CAN Match Details
- Match: South Africa vs. Canada, 9th Match
- Teams: SA vs CA
- Date: 09 Feb 2026
- Time: 6:30 PM 1:30 PM GMT / 7:00 PM LOCAL
- Venue: Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
T20 World 2026 Live Streaming Info
The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 kicks off on February 7, 2026, and wraps up with the final on March 8, 2026. Hosted across India and Sri Lanka with 20 teams, it spans about a month—group stages from early February, Super 8s mid-month, semis late February/early March, and the final in Colombo or Mumbai.
- In India, tune into Star Sports Network (Star Sports 1, Star Sports 2) or stream on Disney+ Hotstar and JioCinema.
- Pakistan viewers can watch on PTV Sports, A Sports, or Ten Sports, with streaming available on Tapmad and Tamasha.
- For Sri Lanka, options include SLRC, Channel Eye, and Siyatha TV on TV, plus Sri Lanka Cricket YouTube and Dialog ViU online.
- UK fans have Sky Sports Cricket, TNT Sports 1, and talkSPORT on television, alongside Sky Go, Discovery+, and NOW TV for streaming.
- In South Africa, SuperSport covers it on TV and via their app.
- Australia might check Fox Sports for TV and Kayo Sports for live streams.
- USA and Canada: Willow TV on TV, Sling TV or Willow HD app for streaming.
- New Zealand: Sky Sport NZ on TV and Sky Go app.
- Bangladesh: Gazi TV (GTV) and Rabith BD app.
- Afghanistan: RTA Sport and Ariana TV.
Rest of the world: ICC.tv for free streaming where no local rights holder exists. Subscriptions often apply, and VPNs can assist with geo-blocks where permitted.
How to Watch the Match for Free:
Catch every boundary without paying via these official free options, perfect for fans in Pakistan and beyond.
Pakistan: PTV Sports broadcasts all matches live for free on TV via terrestrial, cable, and satellite—no subscription needed.
Live Streaming Info:
The 9th T20 World Cup match will be live on Star Sports.
Live Score Info:
ICC T20 World Cup 2026: All matches on ESPN and Cricbuzz have live scores.
Probable XIs
SA Probable XI: Quinton de Kock (wk), Ryan Rickelton, Aiden Markram (c), Tristan Stubbs, David Miller, Dewald Brevis, Marco Jansen, Kagiso Rabada, Keshav Maharaj, Anrich Nortje, Lungi Ngidi.
CA Probable XI: Navneet Dhaliwal, Aaron Johnson, Dilpreet Bajwa (c), Nicholas Kirton, Harsh Thaker, Ravinderpal Singh, Saad Bin Zafar, Shreyas Movva (wk), Dilon Heyliger, Kaleem Sana, Jeremy Gordon.
Head-to-Head
No T20I meetings yet—this is their first. Overall, they’ve clashed once in ODIs (2003, Canada won by 7 wickets), with South Africa dominating limited history. Last five: N/A, but expect Proteas’ experience to edge out.
South Africa Analysis
Strengths lie in explosive top-order batting and a fearsome pace battery—Rabada (nearing SA’s T20I wicket record), Nortje, Jansen, and Ngidi can dismantle line-ups. Weaknesses? Middle-order collapses in chases and spin vulnerability post-powerplay. Key players: Quinton de Kock (sensational post-ODI return, eyeing 3000 T20I runs), Aiden Markram (calm captaincy), Kagiso Rabada (78 wickets, lethal yorkers). Recent 2-1 WI series win boosts confidence, but Klaasen’s retirement hurts finishing.
Canada Analysis
Canada’s strength is fearless batting from openers and economical spin-pace combo from qualifiers—Kaleem Sana (10 wickets) and Sharma can exploit slowing pitches. Weaknesses include inexperience against full members and thin batting depth beyond top-four. Key players: Nicholas Kirton (attacking batter), Dilpreet Bajwa (new captain), Yuvraj Samra (strike-rate 160+), Harsh Thaker (middle-order stability). Warm-up losses temper hype, but qualifier momentum and Bajwa’s leadership spark upset potential.
Key Talking Points
De Kock vs Canada’s new-ball attack: Can he fire for a quick 50+? Rabada’s milestone hunt against Kirton’s aggression. Markram’s toss call—bowl first on this chase-friendly track? Canada’s debutant nerves in front of 130,000-capacity crowd. Post-Klaasen, Stubbs or Brevis as finisher?
South Africa dominates with superior firepower and venue familiarity—expect a 30-40 run win or Rabada-led defense of 180+. Canada’s grit might stretch it, but Proteas’ pace overwhelms. (Word count: 812)