In the South Africa vs UAE T20 World Cup 2026 clash at a cloudy Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi, Corbin Bosch produced the kind of bowling performance that makes you look twice at a scorecard. Four overs. Three wickets. Twelve runs. A spell so clean and disciplined that it reduced UAE to a below-par 122/6 and rendered their second-innings fate almost inevitable from the moment the innings ended.
South Africa chased 123 in 13.2 overs, winning by 6 wickets with 40 balls to spare. They finish Group D with four wins from four matches — the only side alongside India to complete the group stage with a perfect record. Aiden Markram’s Proteas head into the Super 8 carrying momentum, confidence, and a slight concern about their catching — but more on that later.
Match Summary: Bosch and Brevis Shine in Delhi Gloom
ICC T20 World Cup 2026 - Match 34 - UAE vs South Africa
South Africa’s 6-wicket victory was defined by early intent and disciplined death bowling. Despite a confident start by UAE openers Muhammad Waseem and Aryansh Sharma, the introduction of George Linde and Corbin Bosch turned the tide. UAE’s middle order struggled to rotate strike, and once Sharafu fell in the 18th over, any hope of a 140+ total vanished. The chase was a blitz; skipper Aiden Markram (28 off 11) set the tone with an aggressive Powerplay assault, followed by a composed yet brisk partnership between Dewald Brevis (36) and Ryan Rickelton (30) that effectively killed the contest by the 11th over.
Playing XI
UAE
Aryansh Sharma (WK), Muhammad Waseem (C), Alishan Sharafu, Sohaib Khan, Syed Haider, Muhammad Arfan, Dhruv Parashar, Muhammad Farooq, Haider Ali, Junaid Siddique, Muhammad Jawadullah.
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.
Key Stats & Records From Today's Match:
Perfect Group: South Africa is the only team in Group D to finish with a 4-0 unbeaten record.
Bosch’s Best: Corbin Bosch recorded his best T20I bowling figures (3/12) in his T20 World Cup debut.
Powerplay Intent: South Africa’s 56/2 is the highest Powerplay score at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in this edition of the tournament.
Low Boundary Count: UAE’s 12 boundaries is the lowest by an Associate side against South Africa in a full 20-over T20 World Cup match.
Innings Breakdown
South Africa vs UAE T20 World Cup 2026: UAE First Innings
South Africa won the toss and elected to bowl on a tacky Delhi surface, making four changes with the Super 8 in mind — Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Lungi Ngidi, and David Miller all rested. Muhammad Waseem made a blistering start, smashing 22 off just 12 balls before George Linde trapped him LBW. Aryansh Sharma (13 off 17) fell to Bosch in the next over, and UAE slipped to 44/2 at the end of the Powerplay. Alishan Sharafu — UAE’s most consistent batter of the tournament — steadied with 45 off 38 balls, but found little support. Anrich Nortje removed two further batters to finish with 2/28, while Bosch wrapped up the innings to complete his stunning 3/12. UAE closed on 122/6 — a total insufficient against any Super 8-bound side.
South Africa vs UAE T20 World Cup 2026: South Africa's Chase
A 30-minute rain delay interrupted the chase before South Africa attacked from ball one. Aiden Markram blazed 28 off just 11 balls before Haider Ali bowled him through the gate. Quinton de Kock — playing his 31st T20 World Cup match for South Africa, breaking AB de Villiers’ record of 30 — managed 14 off 16 before falling to Muhammad Jawadullah. Ryan Rickelton smashed 30 off 16 balls and Dewald Brevis contributed a fluent 36 off 25 including three sixes, before both fell chasing quick runs in the final overs. Tristan Stubbs (6*) and Jason Smith (3*) calmly completed the chase. Muhammad Arfan took 1/16 and Muhammad Farooq took 1/19 for UAE. South Africa crossed the line with 40 balls remaining.
Top Performers
Corbin Bosch: The Milestone Man
Corbin Bosch’s 3/12 was the performance of the match — disciplined, intelligent, and built on 16 dot balls across four overs. His wickets of Sharma, Sohaib Khan, and Arfan came in different phases of UAE’s innings, confirming his ability to bowl in all conditions at all stages. Notably, Bosch brought up 100 T20 wickets during this match — a milestone that confirms his growing importance to South Africa across all formats. “Kept it nice and simple. There was some nip early on, we communicated fantastically and that made my life easy,” said Bosch after collecting the Player of the Match award.
Alishan Sharafu (45 off 38 balls) - The UAE Anchor
On a day where most UAE batters failed to reach double digits, Sharafu showed immense grit. His ability to manipulate the field against world-class bowlers like Rabada and Nortje was the only reason the UAE reached triple figures.
Dewald Brevis (36 off 25 balls) - The Future star
Brevis showed why he is called “Baby AB.” His three towering sixes—one over extra cover and two over mid-wicket—were the highlights of the chase. His form is a massive positive for South Africa heading into the Super 8s.
Quinton de Kock’s record-breaking 31st T20 World Cup appearance for South Africa — surpassing AB de Villiers’ previous mark — also deserves a mention. Both milestones on the same afternoon in Delhi.
Key Moments & Turning Points: The "Bat-Stuck" Run Out
The Linde Trap: UAE were racing at 10 runs per over until George Linde trapped the dangerous Muhammad Waseem (22) LBW in the 5th over. This wicket halted the “power-hitting” phase and forced UAE into a rebuilding mode they never quite escaped.
Bosch’s Triple Blow: Corbin Bosch, playing in place of the rested Marco Jansen, produced a clinical spell of 3/12. His ability to vary his pace on the slowing Delhi track removed Aryansh Sharma and Sohaib Khan in quick succession, breaking the UAE’s tactical spine.
Markram’s 3rd Over Rampage: Chasing a small total, Aiden Markram decided to finish things early, smashing three fours and a six off Haider Ali’s first over. This 18-run over reduced the required rate to below 5 and demoralized the UAE bowlers.
UAE's Campaign: Competitive Spirit, Limited Support
UAE exit the T20 World Cup 2026 with one win from four matches, but exit with considerably more credit than that record suggests. Sharafu’s consistent contributions, Waseem’s aggressive opening play, and a bowling unit that troubled Afghanistan in their penultimate fixture were genuine highlights. For a cricket nation still building its domestic structures, consistent T20 World Cup participation and competitive performances against Full Member nations is itself meaningful progress.
What's Next: South Africa in the Super 8
South Africa’s first Super 8 fixture is against defending champions India on February 22 at Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad — a rematch of the 2024 T20 World Cup final that India won on the last ball. If there is one fixture in world cricket that needs no additional context to generate excitement, it is this one.
South Africa arrive with Rabada, Nortje, Bosch, and Jansen all available and rested. Miller, Maharaj, and Ngidi will return. The full-strength Proteas are a genuinely formidable unit — and on their day, capable of beating anyone in world cricket.
The dropped catches will need to be fixed. The batting depth — tested briefly when Markram and de Kock fell cheaply — will be tested far more severely against Jasprit Bumrah and Varun Chakravarthy. But the confidence of four straight wins, including a clinical performance with a rotated squad, is exactly the kind of platform a tournament contender wants heading into the knockout stage.
South Africa in the Super 8. Unbeaten. Dangerous. And with unfinished business from 2024.
The One Concern: Catching Must Improve for the Super 8 – South Africa’s performance was dominant on paper — but four dropped catches in UAE’s innings is a red flag that Albie Morkel’s coaching staff will address urgently. In a Super 8 group featuring Jasprit Bumrah, Romario Shepherd, and Blessing Muzarabani, dropped catches carry a cost far heavier than they did against UAE. South Africa’s fielding in the group stage has been their weakest link — and it is the one area standing between them and a genuine title challenge.
What This Result Means for Group D
The result is final: South Africa tops Group D with 8 points. They head into the Super 8s as the team to beat, with their first clash scheduled against India in Ahmedabad. For UAE, their 2026 campaign ends with one win (against Canada) and three losses. They finish in 4th place, ahead of Canada on Net Run Rate, but with plenty of lessons learned from competing against heavyweights like the Proteas and New Zealand.
T20 World Cup 2026 Group D Points Table
Final Group D Points Table
Match Highlights : South Africa vs UAE T20 World Cup 2026
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