The South Africa vs Canada T20 World Cup 2026 Highlights will be remembered as a clinical “David vs Goliath” encounter where the Proteas’ pedigree eventually overwhelmed Canada’s spirited resistance. In the opening Group D match at the massive Narendra Modi Stadium, South Africa’s captain Aiden Markram led from the front with a blistering 59 off 32 balls, setting up a mammoth total of 213/4. Despite a historic fightback from Canada’s Ansh Patel and a gritty half-century from Navneet Dhaliwal, Lungi Ngidi’s career-best World Cup figures of 4/21 ensured that South Africa began their quest for glory with a comprehensive victory.
Match Summary: Proteas’ Power Surge Too Much for Canada
ICC T20 World Cup 2026 - Match 9 - South Africa vs Canada
Group D • Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad
South Africa kicked off their 2026 campaign with a statement win, though the South Africa vs Canada T20 World Cup 2026 Highlights show a brief period where the Associate nation threatened an upset. After Canada elected to field, Markram and Quinton de Kock (25) powered SA to 66/0 in the powerplay. A sudden middle-order collapse, triggered by debutant Ansh Patel (3/31), saw SA slip from 126/1 to 138/4. However, David Miller (39*) and Tristan Stubbs (34*) plundered 62 runs in the final five overs. Chasing 214, Canada’s top order was dismantled by Lungi Ngidi’s opening burst (3 wickets in the powerplay), and while Navneet Dhaliwal (52) played a lone hand, Canada finished well short at 152/8.
Playing XI
Scotland
Quinton de Kock (WK), Aiden Markram (C), Ryan Rickelton, Dewald Brevis, David Miller, Tristan Stubbs, Marco Jansen, Corbin Bosch, Kagiso Rabada, Keshav Maharaj, Lungi Ngidi.™
Italy
Dilpreet Bajwa (C), Yuvraj Samra, Navneet Dhaliwal, Nicholas Kirton, Shreyas Movva (WK), Harsh Thaker, Saad Bin Zafar, Jaskarandeep Singh, Dilon Heyliger, Kaleem Sana, Ansh Patel.
Key Stats & Records From Today's Match:
4/21: Lungi Ngidi’s career-best figures in T20 World Cups.
213/4: The highest total at the Narendra Modi Stadium in T20 World Cup 2026 so far.
Golden Duck: Dilpreet Bajwa became the first Canadian captain to fall for a duck in a World Cup.
50+: Navneet Dhaliwal is the only Canadian to score a fifty against South Africa in T20Is.
Innings Breakdown
First Innings: Markram’s Launchpad and the Miller-Stubbs Finish
The first half of the South Africa vs Canada T20 World Cup 2026 Highlights was a story of two explosive bookends. Aiden Markram treated the Ahmedabad crowd to a masterclass of timing, hitting 10 fours and a six to race to his 12th T20I fifty. While Canada’s Ansh Patel briefly silenced the stadium by removing Markram, Rickelton, and Brevis in a single spell, the experience of David Miller was the difference. Miller and Stubbs’ 75*-run partnership was a tactical exhibition of death-over hitting, helping South Africa become the second team to breach the 200-run mark in this tournament.
Second Innings: Ngidi’s Powerplay Carnage and Dhaliwal’s Resistance
Canada’s response in the South Africa vs Canada T20 World Cup 2026 Highlights was derailed within the first six balls. Lungi Ngidi, extracting surprising bounce from the red-soil pitch, dismissed Canadian skipper Dilpreet Bajwa for a golden duck. Ngidi struck twice more in his second over to leave Canada reeling at 26/3. Navneet Dhaliwal (52 off 40) played a world-class innings, taking on the pace of Kagiso Rabada with signature cuts and pulls, but with the required rate climbing past 15, the chase fizzled out. Ngidi returned to claim his fourth wicket, effectively sealing the game for the Proteas.
Top Performers
Lungi Ngidi (4/21 off 4 Overs)
The undisputed Player of the Match. Ngidi’s ability to find the outside edge of both Bajwa and Samra in the first two overs killed the contest before it truly began. His “wobble-seam” delivery was unplayable under the lights.
Aiden Markram (59 off 32 Balls)
The captain’s 184.37 strike rate provided the necessary platform for the Proteas. His dominance over the Canadian seamers in the powerplay ensured that even a mid-innings collapse didn’t prevent a 200+ total.
Ansh Patel (3/31 off 4 Overs)
The standout “ignored” performer. In his first World Cup appearance, Patel managed to dismiss three world-class batters (Markram, Rickelton, Brevis) in a display of smart variations that checked South Africa’s momentum.
The Sawdust Incident
During the 17th over of Canada’s chase, Marco Jansen had to pause the game for five minutes to manually spread sawdust across the landing area. The humidity in Ahmedabad caused a “greasy” patch on the world’s largest stadium floor, making it dangerous for the fast bowlers. This tactical delay disrupted Dhaliwal’s rhythm just as he was looking to accelerate.
What This Result Means for Group D
South Africa claims the top spot in Group D with a massive NRR boost. This win is vital as they prepare to face Afghanistan next in what is dubbed the “Group of Death.” For Canada, while the scorecard shows a loss, the fight shown by Dhaliwal and Patel proves they are not here to just make up the numbers. They will target their next clash against the UAE as a genuine opportunity for their first points.
T20 World Cup 2026 Group D Points Table
Following South Africa’s clinical 57-run victory in Ahmedabad, the “Group of Death” has already begun to clear its favorites. South Africa has not just secured 2 points but has essentially “set the pace” with a massive +2.850 Net Run Rate (NRR). This leap places them at the top of the table, leapfrogging New Zealand.
Group D Points Table
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