The quest for T20 glory returns to the world's largest cricket stadium as South Africa begins its ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 campaign against a spirited Canada side. Winadda After the heartbreak of the 2024 final in Barbados, Aiden Markram’s men arrive in Ahmedabad with a singular focus: redemption.
Match Overview
Fixture: South Africa vs Canada, Match 9 (Group D)
Venue: Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad
Time: 7:00 PM IST (Toss at 6:30 PM IST)
Conditions: A balanced deck that typically offers bounce for the pacers early on, but settles into a batter's paradise under the lights.
The Preview: Proteas’ Power vs. Associate Ambition
South Africa enters this tournament as one of the heavy favorites. Their squad is a blend of brutal power-hitting and world-class pace. With the inclusion of young sensations like Dewald Brevis and the reliable pace of Kagiso Rabada, the Proteas are looking to make a statement victory to boost their Net Run Rate early in the group.
Canada, led by Dilpreet Bajwa, is no stranger to the big stage anymore. Having qualified with an unbeaten run through the Americas Regional Qualifiers, they are the classic "underdogs with bite." While the odds are stacked against them, their victory over Ireland in the previous edition serves as a reminder that they cannot be taken lightly in the game's shortest format.
Toss & Playing XI Updates
Toss Update: The toss is scheduled for 6:30 PM IST. Given the evening start in Ahmedabad, the captain winning the toss is likely to bowl first to avoid the dew factor later in the game.
South Africa 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
Canada 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
Key Player Matchups to Watch
Quinton de Kock vs. Kaleem Sana: The veteran South African opener is known for his explosive starts. Canada’s Kaleem Sana will need to find movement with the new ball to stop "Quinny" before he runs away with the game.
Nicholas Kirton vs. Kagiso Rabada: Kirton has been Canada’s most consistent batter. Facing the sheer pace and precision of Rabada in the powerplay will be his ultimate test.
Aiden Markram vs. Saad Bin Zafar: The battle in the middle overs. Markram’s ability to handle spin against Canada’s experienced former skipper Saad Bin Zafar will dictate the tempo of the Proteas' innings.
Pitch and Weather Report
Temperature: A pleasant 27°C expected at match time.
Humidity: 35%—relatively low, but dew might become a factor after 8:30 PM.
Pitch: The surface is expected to be firm with good carry. Expect a high-scoring encounter if South Africa bats first.
How to Watch?
Fans in India can catch the live action on the Star Sports Network, while the digital stream is available exclusively on the JioHotstar app and website.
Stay tuned for live ball-by-ball commentary and score updates as the Proteas look to stomp their authority on Group D!
