West Indies and South Africa clash in a high-stakes Super Eights showdown at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026.This is the 47th Match (Super Eights, Group 1) of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 season.
It takes place on February 26, 2026, starting at 2:30 PM local time in Ahmedabad (3:00 PM IST). The venue is Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, India. Hours of play run from 15:00 local, with sessions 15:00-16:30, interval 16:30-16:50, and second session 16:50-18:20—it’s a day/night 20-over affair.
The Narendra Modi Stadium pitch is rock-hard, delivering true bounce and carry that favors seamers early before cracks open up for spinners later. It’s a batter’s paradise overall, with an average first-innings score around 183 in T20Is; teams batting first have won eight of 12 matches here. Recent games saw India post 193 and 234, proving high totals are chaseable but tough.
Weather looks ideal for uninterrupted cricket: temperatures near 23°C, 29% humidity, light 11 km/h winds, and 10 km visibility with zero rain risk. Players will feel the heat above 30°C with high humidity testing stamina, but conditions stay clear.
A win here catapults South Africa into the semifinals, turning their final group game into a formality. For West Indies, it’s nearly a must-win—they’ve smashed Zimbabwe by 107 runs but face a daunting India next; victory seals their spot and boosts net run rate. Both sides embody fearless cricket in a cautious tournament, making this Group 1 decider electric.
WI vs SA Match Details
- Match: West Indies vs South Africa, 47th Match,
- Teams: WI vs SA
- Date: 26 Feb 2026
- Time: 6:30 PM 1:30 PM GMT / 7:00 PM LOCAL
- Venue: R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo
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 46th T20 World Cup match will be live on Willow Cricket.
Live Score Info:
West Indies are unbeaten in five, peaking with a 254/6 demolition of Zimbabwe—Hetmyer’s 85 off 34 their highlight after out-sixing England earlier. Their route-one batting has them as dark horses. South Africa stunned India by 76 runs (187/7 to 111), topping the group with explosive chases like de Kock’s recent tons. They snapped a bilateral skid with a 2-0 series win over West Indies in January.
Head-to-Head
In 15 T20Is, South Africa lead with 9 wins to West Indies’ 6. Last five meetings (all 2024): West Indies dominated 4-1, winning by 8 wickets, 30 runs, 7 wickets, then losing by 3 wickets before another 8-wicket romp. Recent bilateral series saw South Africa rebound strongly 2-0 earlier this year. In T20 World Cups, Proteas edge 2-1.
West Indies Analysis
West Indies’ strength lies in explosive batting—Hetmyer, Powell, and Rutherford unleash sixes relentlessly, backed by Hope’s leadership and King opening aggressively. Their spin duo Hosein-Motie controls middles, while Holder-Shepherd add allround bite. Weakness? Pace depth beyond Shamar Joseph can wobble on seaming tracks. Recent form screams momentum: five straight wins, highest team total this Cup. Key players: Hetmyer (match-winner), Hope (c/wk, anchor), Joseph (breakthrough paceman).
Probable XI: Brandon King, Shai Hope (c/wk), Shimron Hetmyer, Rovman Powell, Sherfane Rutherford, Romario Shepherd, Jason Holder, Matthew Forde, Akeal Hosein, Gudakesh Motie, Shamar Joseph.
South Africa Analysis
South Africa’s pace battery—Rabada, Jansen, Ngidi—is lethal early, with Markram’s captaincy and Maharaj’s spin steadying things. Batting firepower from de Kock, Rickelton, Miller, and Stubbs thrives in chases; they’ve hammered big totals lately. Weakness: middle-order collapse risk if openers falter. They’re unbeaten in Super Eights, with de Kock’s centuries and Stubbs’ finishers shining. Key players: de Kock (blazing starts), Rabada (death-over wizard), Markram (tactical nous).
Probable XI: Aiden Markram (c), Quinton de Kock (wk), Ryan Rickelton, Dewald Brevis, David Miller, Tristan Stubbs, Marco Jansen, Corbin Bosch, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi.
Key Talking Points
Will West Indies’ six-hitting spree overwhelm South Africa’s seam attack on a bouncy Ahmedabad deck? De Kock’s form versus King’s aggression sets the tone. Spin battles—Hosein vs Maharaj—could decide as cracks form. Recent head-to-head swings favor WI lately, but SA’s World Cup edge and group lead tilt scales. NRR implications loom large.
South Africa’s superior head-to-head, pace strength, and Super Eights dominance give them the edge on this high-scoring venue—expect 180+ totals. West Indies’ firepower keeps it close, but Proteas chase smartly to win by 15-20 runs or 6 wickets. South Africa to prevail and book semis.