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India's Fielding Woes, Abhishek's Form in Spotlight Ahead of SA Super 8 Clash

India enters its Super 8 opener against South Africa unbeaten but with concerns over opener Abhishek Sharma's form, as he is yet to score a run in the tournament. The team's fielding has also been subpar, having dropped nine catches in the group stage. South Africa was equally dominant in its group, finishing with four wins and a high net run rate. The historical record favors India, who have won five of the seven T20 World Cup meetings between the sides.

Key Points: India vs South Africa T20 WC Super 8 Preview: Key Concerns

  • Abhishek Sharma yet to score a run
  • India dropped 9 catches in group stage
  • Both teams unbeaten in group phase
  • India leads T20 World Cup head-to-head
2 min read

T20 WC: Abhishek's form, fielding lapses in spotlight as India face SA in Super 8s opener (Preview)

Preview of India vs South Africa T20 World Cup Super 8 match. Focus on Abhishek Sharma's form, India's fielding lapses, and head-to-head record.

"India's fielding woes have continued throughout the tournament. - Report"

Ahmedabad, Feb 21

Opener Abhishek Sharma's poor form and sloppy fielding will be in focus as India face South Africa in their first match in the Super8s round of the T20 World Cup 2026 to be played at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Sunday.

Abhishek is yet to score a run in the tournament. He began his campaign with a golden duck against the United States, followed by early dismissals against Pakistan and the Netherlands.

India's fielding woes have continued throughout the tournament. Suryakumar Yadav's team have dropped nine catches in four group-stage matches, which is the second-highest tally among the 20 teams in the competition.

Despite the concerns, India will be getting into the contest while remaining unbeaten in the Group stage. They began with a 29-run win over the USA before dismantling Namibia by 93 runs. A 61-run victory against Pakistan displayed their dominance, while a 17-run win over the Netherlands in Ahmedabad sealed their unbeaten group-stage run.

On the other hand, South Africa were equally clinical in Group D, finishing with four wins and an NRR of 1.943. They opened with a 57-run win over Canada, edged Afghanistan in a dramatic double Super Over, chased down New Zealand comfortably, and defeated the UAE with ease in their last match.

India have an upper hand in the head-to-head record in T20Is, as they have won 21 out of 35 matches played between the two sides. In T20 World Cup history, India have also won five out of seven matches they played against the Proteas, which include the T20 World Cup 2024 final, in which India became the winners.

When: Sunday, February 21, 7:00 PM IST

Where: Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad.

Where to watch: Star Sports Network for Live TV broadcast and JioHotstar for live streaming.

Squads:

India: Suryakumar Yadav (c), Ishan Kishan (wk), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Rinku Singh, Washington Sundar, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakaravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah, Sanju Samson (wk), Mohammed Siraj, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel.

South Africa: Aiden Markram (c), Quinton de Kock (wk), Ryan Rickelton, Dewald Brevis, Tristan Stubbs, Jason Smith, George Linde, Corbin Bosch, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje, Kwena Maphaka, David Miller, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Lungi Ngidi.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
The fielding is more worrying than one batter's form. Nine dropped catches is unacceptable at this level. We got lucky in the group stage, but SA will punish us. Need intense practice sessions before Sunday.
A
Aman W
Have some faith, yaar! Abhishek is a match-winner on his day. He just needs one good innings to get his confidence back. Dropping him now could ruin a young talent. Support the team! 💙
S
Sarah B
As a neutral observer, India's batting depth is still formidable. Even if Abhishek fails, you have Pandya, Dube, and Rinku Singh to finish. The real battle is Bumrah vs de Kock & Miller.
K
Karthik V
Playing at Motera is a huge advantage. Our record against SA is strong, especially in World Cups. SKY needs to lead from the front and the fielding must improve. Jai Hind!
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Nisha Z
With all respect to the team management, persisting with a completely out-of-form player in the Super 8s is a big gamble. It's not fair to the other players waiting on the bench who are in good touch.
M
Michael C
South Africa looks

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