India’s bowling team, previously dominant in the T20 World Cup 2026 group stage, faced challenges in the Super 8 match against South Africa. After winning the toss, South Africa posted a total of 187 for 7 in 20 overs. Varun Chakaravarthy struggled, conceding 47 runs, while Hardik Pandya gave away 45 runs.
In their chase for 188 runs, India struggled under pressure and was dismissed for just 111 runs. This became their largest defeat in T20 World Cup history and ended their unbeaten run in the tournament. Former Pakistani player Shoaib Akhtar commented that South Africa revealed weaknesses in India’s bowling.
“Indian bowling has been exposed. For instance, Varun usually bowls at 97-98 km/h, but he only reached 94. Dewald Brevis hit him for a no-look six when he came into the attack,” Akhtar noted.
“Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dube were bowling at around 120 km/h. They aren’t players who would intimidate the opposition. If you use them in the final overs, South Africa is likely to counterattack. Pandya gave away 45 runs,” he added.
The decision to bench Axar Patel and play Washington Sundar has been a hot topic among fans and analysts. Former Indian player R. Ashwin criticized the management for this choice.
“While the IPL is a good place for experimenting since there are 14 games, stability is crucial in ICC tournaments. I agree Washington Sundar should play against left-handers. But we also need to remember that Axar Patel has been India’s key player in T20 Cricket,” Ashwin stated.
