Two unbeaten sides. One brutal afternoon in Ahmedabad. And a semifinal equation that could flip within three hours. The West Indies and South Africa walk into the Narendra Modi Stadium knowing that victory will all but confirm their T20 World Cup semi-final spot. A win for Aiden Markram’s men will almost seal their semifinal spot and set up a potential India vs West Indies virtual knockout later. But if the Caribbean side pulls this off, the group turns chaotic, something that India would not want.
Both teams have played fearless cricket so far. South Africa hammered India at this very venue, defending 187/7 after being 20/3 early on. The West Indies smashed Zimbabwe by 107 runs and have looked like the most explosive batting unit in the tournament.
WI vs SA: Match Details
- Match: West Indies vs South Africa, Super 8
- Date: Thursday, February 26, 2026
- Time: 3:00 PM IST
- Venue: Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad
WI vs SA: Pitch Report
Pitch 7, a red-soil strip, has been allocated for this contest. Red soil generally means extra bounce and better carry for seamers, but the ball should also come nicely onto the bat. The afternoon start rules out dew. Even the black-soil pitches here haven’t turned much this tournament, so expect pace and power to dominate. Anything above 175 could feel competitive.
WI vs SA: Head-to-Head Records
- Total T20Is Played: 29
- West Indies Won: 15
- South Africa Won: 14
- T20 World Cup meetings:
- South Africa lead 4-1.
- West Indies’ only World Cup win over South Africa came in Nagpur in 2016 — the campaign they eventually won.
Probable Playing XIs: WI vs SA
West Indies: Brandon King, Shai Hope (c & wk), Shimron Hetmyer, Rovman Powell, Sherfane Rutherford, Romario Shepherd, Jason Holder, Matthew Forde, Akeal Hosein / Roston Chase, Gudakesh Motie, Shamar Joseph.
South Africa: 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.
WI vs SA Match Prediction: Who will win?
Shimron Hetmyer has been electric, sitting among the tournament’s top run-scorers, while Jason Holder owns one of the best strike rates. Gudakesh Motie is among the leading wicket-takers, and Matthew Forde boasts one of the tightest economy rates. However, South Africa have depth in almost every department. Marco Jansen has taken one more wicket than Motie, while Brevis, Miller and Stubbs form arguably the most aggressive middle order in the competition.
This feels like the tightest contest of the Super 8 stage. The West Indies have the power to overwhelm. However, South Africa have already played four T20 World Cup 2026 games here in Ahmedabad. So, they are quiet familiar with this ground.
Prediction: South Africa start marginal favourites (55-45), but if the West Indies bat first and cross 180, expect absolute mayhem.
