भारत vs दक्षिण अफ्रीका, सुपर 8 - मैच 3, नरेंद्र मोदी स्टेडियम, अहमदाबाद, 22 February 2026 - कमेंट्री

SIX! Could Ryan Rickelton have done better there? Marco Jansen thinks so, as does Aiden Markram. Slower ball, banged in short, on off. Dube swivels and pulls it to deep mid-wicket. Rickelton is a bit late to react in the deep and sprints to his left eventually. He stretches his hands out to his left, but the ball clips his fingertips and falls beyond the fence.

Sneaking just inside the tramline, on a shortish length. Dube lets it go.

Angled into the left-hander, dug in short, over middle. Shivam mistimes the pull to deep mid-wicket.

OUT! CAUGHT! Wicket number 3 for Marco Jansen. Knuckleball from Jansen, on a back of a length, on middle and leg. Dube swivels to get the pull away but he picks out Ngidi at short fine leg. Lungi does not have to move an inch, and he takes a sharp catch around his waist. No celebration from Marco. He just turns around and walks back to his mark. Dube's vigil comes to an end.

OUT! TAKEN! A thumping win for South Africa by 76 runs. Pace taken off, full and pushed across the right-hander, Bumrah extends his hands into the lofted drive. Gets it right off the toe end of the blade, and it is spooned to extra cover, where Aiden Markram circles under it on the edge of the ring and makes no mistake. Two in two for Jansen to complete a statement win for the Proteas.

Gets the yorker in, just outside the line of the leg stump. Shivam gets the front pad out of the way and squeezes it out to short fine leg.

Ngidi goes searching for the dipping full ball, on leg. Dube takes it on the full and whips it to deep mid-wicket. Dewald Brevis overruns the ball but manages to lay a hand on it. It is backed up by the deep square leg fielder but the error from Brevis allows Dube to come back for the second.

Dropping on the batter, on a fullish length, on off. Shivam hits it through mid on but does not take the single.

Keeps it nice and full, not allowing Dube to get under the ball. Shivam reaches out and drags it back to the bowler.

Full and running across the left-hander. Dube eases it to wide long off and crosses over.

Rolls his fingers over the ball, does Ngidi, full and on off. Varun Chakaravarthy takes a couple of steps down the track and knocks it to extra cover. A round of applause from the Proteas dugout for Ngidi. Wicketless outing, but he goes for just 15 runs in his 4 overs.

Bashes the hard length, outside off. Dube extends his hands hands and hits it on the up to extra cover.

Off-cutter, on a good length, on middle. Shivam swats it to deep square leg. He does not take the single.

Denying the batter any room, on a back of a length, in line with the leg stump. Dube tugs it to deep backward square leg.

Cross-seam delivery, across off, on a good length. Dube swings at it but drags it down the strip. Bosch makes a sharp stop on his follow-through.

Pace off and into the wicket, over middle. Dube gets his hands high and helps the pull through square leg for a single.

A play and a miss! Skidding through, on a good length, in the channel. Varun Chakaravarthy fiddles at the delivery and is beaten on the outside edge.

SIX! Clean strike! Pitched up at pace by Kagiso, on middle. Dube hangs deep in the crease and brings his long levers into play. He clears the front leg and clobbers it over wide long on for a six.

SIX! Back-to-back sixes and 100 is up for India. In the slot once again from KG, fuller and on middle, Shivam Dube launches it over long on for a biggie. 

Dube denies the run! A slower shorter delivery, on the hips. Dube pulls it to deep mid-wicket for no run.

Another dot! On the shorter side, on the bodyline, gets big on Dube as he pulls it across but inside edges it on the leg side.

DROPPED! This would have put the game to bed. Rabada rolls his fingers on this length delivery, serves it outside off. Dube throws the kitchen sink at it and slices it over cover. David Miller tracks back from inside the ring, tries to reverse cup near his head but spills it out and a single is taken. 87 needed now off 25 balls.

A good length delivery, outside off. Varun Chakaravarthy punches it past point. As expected, they do not run.

OUT! TAKEN! A wicket is always on the cards with the pressure building. Fractionally short, outside off, into the surface and turning slightly away. Hardik Pandya tries to lift it away off the back foot but fails to get enough distance. Gets it high and to long off where Tristan Stubbs holds onto it near the fence after moving to his left. He realises that the momentum will take him over the ropes. He quickly releases the ball, comes back and holds onto it. 

Drops it short and quick, outside off. Rinku Singh cuts it to point.

OUT! CAUGHT! Another one bites the dust and South Africa are putting on a show here. Keshav Maharaj drags the length short and angles it across the off stump. Rinku Singh goes deep in the crease and looks to put the pressure back on the bowler with a straight pull but gets the timing all wrong. The ball travels flat and to the right of long on, where Tristan Stubbs takes another catch, a much simpler one this time and Rinku goes for a two-ball duck.

Serves it full and on middle and leg. Arshdeep Singh looks to defend inside the line but splices it to backward point for a single.

Flatter trajectory, outside off. Dube slaps it hard and past the diving cover fielder for a run.

OUT! TAKEN! Tristan Stubbs does it again! Maharaj loops up a length delivery in line of the stumps. Arshdeep Singh powers it down to long on but does not get the desired elevation, even though there was plenty of power on the shot. Tristan Stubbs in the deep runs to his right to take the catch but since it's hit with a lot of power, the fielder has to adjust his balance. He catches the ball, lobs it over as he jumps over the fence and comes back to complete the catch. 

Quick single! A good-length delivery, outside off. Hardik Pandya punches it to mid off and scampers across for a quick single.

Dube will feel he has missed out there. A slower full toss, dipping just in front of the batter, outside off. Dube swings across the line and misses.

No pace at all from Ngidi! Pushes it full and on middle and leg, Shivam tucks it to mid-wicket for a run.

Lungi Ngidi throws a gentle full toss on the bodyline. Pandya is pegged back as he turns it to square leg for a run.

Overpitched, around off. Dube fails to get underneath cleanly and manages to hit it past mid on for a single.

Excellent from South Africa! Two overs without conceding a boundary. Ngidi serves it close to the tramline. Pandya manages to squeeze it out to cover for a run. 

Back of a length, outside off, stays a bit low. Dube stands tall and mistimes his hoick, across to long on for a single. 

Jansen serves it on a good length, around off, Pandya gets inside the line and clips it to deep mid-wicket for a run.

A slower bumper from Jansen, outside off. Dube can only hit it to long on and gets across for a single.

Short again, pace on this time but gets slightly big on Hardik, who pulls it in front of square on the leg side for a run.

Leg bye! Jansen pushes it full and onto the pads, Dube swivels and tries to whip it away but misses and gets hit on the pads. It rolls on the leg side for a leg bye.

Bowls it very full and wide outside off. Pandya bends and reaches as he hits it to deep point for just a single.  

Back of a length, on a tight line around off, Shivam hangs back and jams the pull in front of mid-wicket for a single.

Good length in the channel, Pandya waits back and runs it down to deep third for one more.

A dot ball and the required rate keeps mounting. Hard length on off, angling across, Shivam Dube stays put and bashes the ball but straight to mid off.

FOUR! Much-needed for India. KG pitches this one right in the slot around middle, Dube clears the front leg and pummels it straight back over the head of the umpire at the bowler's end for a boundary.

Good adjustment in the end from Stubbs. Back of a length over middle, Dube swings it away without much timing and gets it over mid on. Tristan Stubbs initially runs in for the catch but realizes that the ball is going to fall well short and hence, slams on the brakes. Gets the body behind the line, keeping it down to a single.

Good length in the channel, Hardik plays it close to the body and just chops it down to the right of the keeper.

SIX! High and long enough! Keshav floats it on a fuller length wide outside off, Hardik Pandya extends the arms and whacks it high over wide long off. Tristan Stubbs puts in a big leap but falls over and the ball lands beyond the ropes as well.

Flatter one around off, punched down to long off for a single.

Shorter in length, darted well across the left-hander. Dube stays put and smacks it to mid off for one more.

WIDE. Slower this time, short and down leg, Pandya looks to pull but misses.

Tossed up wide outside off, not all that full, Hardik goes after it but mistimes it towards mid off for just a single.

Fullish length, sliding it towards the tramline outside off, Dube stays back and taps it in front of point for a run.

A bit more loop on this one, curving it in from outside off, Pandya cuts it straight to backward point. 11 runs off Maharaj's first over, 11 off his second as well.

OUT! CAUGHT! Oh, a lucky breakthrough for the bowler. Corbin Bosch bashes the hard length now and angles it into the batter. SKY hangs back and swivels around to whip it behind square leg, but ends up getting it off the cue end of the blade. The ball lobs up to the right of mid-wicket, where Dewald Brevis moves across and snaffles it with both hands. 137 needed now off 65 balls.

Just back of a length and on off, Hardik Pandya presses back to defend.

WIDE. Good-length delivery, pace on and slipped down the leg side.

Good length again, on middle, Pandya walks across and taps it into the vacant space at mid-wicket, picking up a couple of runs as well.

Hard length from Bosch again, in and around off, Pandya stays back and defends it late with soft hands.

A single to make it 55 for 5 now. Full and angled into the pads, Hardik Pandya comes down the pitch and clips it away to deep mid-wicket for one.

Oh, that is a top effort in the deep from the big man, Marco Jansen. Back of a length and angled well across off, Dube throws the hands at it and slices it over backward point. Jansen runs to his left in the deep and dives in to palm the ball in with his left hand. Two taken. 131 needed now off the remaining 60 balls.

A length ball, landing around leg and flicked away off the pads to deep square leg for a single by Dube.

Can't get it through! Back of a length, slanted back in, Suryakumar Yadav hops back and chops it down to short third for a single.

Full and outside off, Dube reaches out and jams the ball into the turf and back over the bowler for a single. The required rate is now exactly 12 runs an over, as India need 138 more off 69 balls.

That's cleverly bowled and Suryakumar Yadav gets a body blow as well. The leg cutter now, back of a length and outside off. SKY lunges across to play the lap but is undone here and wears it around the ribs.

Ngidi is just bowling the off-pace deliveries to Yadav right now. Goes full and wide outside off, Suryakumar Yadav reaches out and toe-ends it behind to the keeper.

Back of a length over middle, SKY punches it down with a straight bat towards long on and picks up a single.

Slanting into the right-hander, on a length, on middle. Suryakumar pats it to long on and picks up a single.

OUT! CAUGHT! Instant impact from Corbin Bosch. Pushed across the left-hander from over the wicket, on a back of a length. Sundar clears the front leg and throws his hands at the ball. The ball leaves him with the angle and grazes the outside edge. The keeper, Quinton de Kock, gobbles it up. India are now 4 down for 43, needing 145 runs in 76 balls.

A bit too wide, on a short of a length. Shivam stabs it through covers and gets off the mark with a single.

SKY is standing with an open stance and Bosch spots that. He hits the deck hard and tucks the batter up for room. Surya can only pat it back to the bowler.

Wide! Sprayed down leg, Suryakumar has a swing at it but fails to connect.

In the corridor, on a short of a length. Yadav taps the ball on its head and angles it wide of cover before crossing over.

Fuller in length, on middle and leg. Dube stays rooted to the crease and brings his bat out in front. He whips it off the inner half through mid-wicket for one. 5 runs and the wicket of Sundar from the over. India need 141 runs in 72 balls.

On a nagging length, around off, Suryakumar gets down on a knee and plays the sweep to deep backward square leg. Kagiso Rabada reads the spin on the ball and tidies up. They cross.

Skidding through, not all that short, on middle. Sundar presses on the back foot and pulls it through mid-wicket for one more.

Fuller and drifting in at the pads, SKY clips it to deep mid-wicket and gets to the other end.

Drags the length back now, on middle and leg. Washington shimmies down the pitch and turns it in front of square leg for another single.

On top of off, Yadav hangs back and cuts it to deep point for the 5th single of the over.

SIX! A biggie off the last ball turns it into a productive over for India. 11 runs off it. Maharaj errs in both line and length. This is short and down leg. Sundar walks inside the line and gets low to find the elevation. Swivels and shovels it over backward square leg.

Rabada hits the hard length, on top of off. Sundar plays it on the up but mistimes it to cover.

On the fuller side, pushed across off, Washington walks across the stumps to play the scoop but plays all over it. Gets rapped on the pads well outside the off stump.

Rabada serves a short ball, on off. Washington Sundar arches back to play the upper cut but he is beaten for pace. Three dots in a row!

Make that four on the bounce! Pushes the length up, on middle. Sundar clears the front leg and knocks it along the ground to mid on.

Angled away, on a short of a length, Sundar stands tall to get this one over the in-field on the off side. Gets it off the outer half to deep third, where Dewald Brevis slides and mops it up. Just a single.

Rabada goes searching for the yorker but it comes out as a low full toss, on middle. SKY punches it straight to mid on. Just 2 runs off the over, India end their Powerplay at 31/3.

Bashes the surface, over middle. Sharma hops and swivels to help it over long leg but he is hurried and the ball gets big on him. Abhishek wears it on the midriff.

In the channel, on a back of a length. Abhishek dances down the track and backs away. He throws the kitchen sink at it but fails to connect.

OUT! CAUGHT! Two fielders bump into each other, but Corbin Bosch holds onto it. A massive wicket for South Africa. This is the knuckleball from Jansen, full and on middle. Abhishek does not pick the variation. He clears the front leg and has a swipe across the line. Skies it off the toe end of the blade over wide mid on. Corbin Bosch and Keshav Maharaj go after it from mid-wicket and mid on, respectively, and there is no communication between the two men. Maharaj just about withdraws himself but cannot avoid colliding with Bosch. Corbin stretches his hands out in front and the ball hits him near the wrist but he holds onto it near his chest. Keshav falls on the back of Bosch but the latter is not put off by that and he grabs hold of the ball.

Around off, on a good length, Sundar dabs it wide of point and takes a single to get underway.

Fuller and on middle, Suryakumar Yadav pushes it to the right of mid off for a single.

Angled into the pads, this is turned to deep square leg for a single. End of a successful over for Jansen and South Africa.

Lungi Ngidi starts with a length delivery, attacking the stumps, holds a bit into the surface. Yadav taps it into the strip.

Well bowled! Ngidi bowls the off-cutter, fuller and well outside off. Yadav shapes for the paddle-scoop but ends up patting it back to the bowler.

Three dots to start for Ngidi! Pace-off once again, fuller and just outside off. Suryakumar Yadav punches it to mid off. 

Overpitches it outside off. Yadav stays back and wrists it away to mid on. Kagiso Rabada puts in a full-stretched dive to his left to stop it from running away. Just a single.

WIDE! Oh, a bit harsh on the bowler! Lungi Ngidi stays away from the hitting arc and bowls the off-cutter near the tramline. Sharma tries to dig it away but misses. 

Excellent so far from Ngidi! Keeps it full and across the batter, too wide and again on the slower side. Abhishek reaches as he bends across and plays it to cover. Can he close it out well?

Yes, he can! Drops it full and on middle, slower and dipping right onto the batter. Sharma plays with soft hands to cover and runs across.

Swing and a miss! KG pitches it up, just outside off. Abhishek Sharma throws his blade but the ball just nips away enough to beat the outside edge.

Beaten again! Rabada sees Sharma take the charge and digs into the surface, around off. Abhishek backs away and opens up the off side but fails to hit it away. The ball flies over the off pole.

Another dot! Sharma is throwing his hands on everything. Rabada keeps it fuller and around the sixth stump line. Sharma flashes his blade and misses.

SIX! Smartly played by Sharma and this will give him confidence. Sharma waits for the ball to arrive, sees the short ball and ramps it nicely over the keeper and all the way for six runs. 

On a good length and around leg, tight from KG, following Sharma on the leg side. Abhishek ends up dropping it to point.

FOUR! Crunched away! Kagiso Rabada rolls his fingers but dishes out a full toss, outside off. Sharma uses the width and hammers it past cover-point for a boundary. 

OUT! EDGED AND GONE! South Africa celebrates as Varma nicks one behind, but he is not sure. Varma takes it upstairs. There was a sound as the ball passed the blade. UltraEdge loads and shows a big spike. Not sure why Tilak Varma reviewed that one. Marco Jansen steams in and serves it into the surface, touch fuller and gets it to bounce off the deck, outside off. Tilak Varma charges down the track and tries to push away from his body and edges it to the keeper. Quinton de Kock pouches it safely. 

FOUR! Wrist work from the skipper to get his inning underway! A straighter, fuller delivery on the pads. Suryakumar Yadav gets the bottom hand into play as he flicks it past mid-wicket for a boundary.

Jansen keeps it full and on middle and leg. Yadav flicks it nicely but straight to mid-wicket. 

FOUR! Superb timing once again! Back of a length, outside off, angling across the batter. Suryakumar Yadav gets tall and punches it firmly past cover for a boundary. 

Good shot for no run. Jansen offers width once again, well outside off. Suryakumar Yadav crisply hits it away but straight to the extra-cover fielder.

8 runs and a wicket off the over. Jansen bowls on a nagging length, around off and slanting away. SKY knocks it to cover. 

Slightly short from Markram up front, outside off. Kishan flashes his blade ferociously but finds the point fielder.

Tosses it up, fuller and around off. Ishan Kishan leans and taps it back to the bowler.

JUST SHORT! Markram dips a fuller delivery onto the batter, this is on middle. Kishan bends and gets underneath as he tries to take on mid on but fails to get the elevation. Luckily for him, it falls short of the fielder.

OUT! TAKEN! It's Kishan who departs on a duck this time! Indian openers are yet to give a breakthrough opening stand this tournament. Nicely tossed up, around off, turning slightly away. Kishan gets on his knee to slog but gets a top edge. Pretty high in the air but not far away. Ryan Rickelton, inside the ring, tracks back at cover and holds onto the skier. 

India and Tilak Varma are underway. This is full and around off, Varma knocks it down to long off for a single.

FOUR! After three outings, Abhishek Sharma is finally off the mark in the tournament. Huge sigh of relief for India's dynamic opener. Markram drops it short and offers room outside off. Sharma slashes his blade and finds the gap through cover-point and bags a boundary. 5 runs and a wicket off the first over.