Ahmedabad (Gujarat)

South Africa captain Aiden Markram won the toss and opted to bowl first against two-time champions West Indies in both teams' second Super 8s clash at the T20 World Cup 2026, at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Thursday.

Both heavyweights, South Africa and West Indies, come into the contest after registering heavy wins in their respective Super 8s opening matches. While Aiden Markram's South Africa defeated co-hosts India by 76 runs in Ahmedabad, Shai Hope-led West Indies swept away Zimbabwe, clinching a massive 107-run win at Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium.

After winning the toss and opting to bowl first, Aiden Markram said the pitch looked good but slightly tacky, and that his team would aim to take advantage of the conditions. Having already played a few matches at the venue, he noted their familiarity with the varying conditions of the Narendra Modi Stadium. He confirmed the lineup was unchanged and praised pacer Kagiso Rabada for leading the bowling attack from the front, offering valuable input, and drawing on experience from playing in the Indian Premier League (IPL) at the venue.

"Looks a pretty good wicket, we've played a couple of games here; it looks a bit tacky, and we'll look to make the most of it. We've been lucky to have played a few games here, the conditions have been different and we're looking forward to it. Same team. He's leading the team from the front (on Kagiso Rabada), gives some inputs and he's played IPL at this venue."

South Africa vs West Indies T20 WC 2026 match playing 11s:

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South Africa: Aiden Markram(c), Quinton de Kock(w), Ryan Rickelton, Dewald Brevis, David Miller, Tristan Stubbs, Marco Jansen, Corbin Bosch, Kagiso Rabada, Keshav Maharaj, Lungi Ngidi.

West Indies: Brandon King, Shai Hope(w/c), Shimron Hetmyer, Rovman Powell, Sherfane Rutherford, Roston Chase, Romario Shepherd, Jason Holder, Matthew Forde, Gudakesh Motie, Shamar Joseph.