AHMEDABAD: Aiden Markram delivered a captain’s knock, smashing an unbeaten 86 to steer South Africa to a dominant seven-wicket victory over New Zealand in 24th match of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Saturday.
Chasing 176 for victory, the Proteas made light work of the target, reaching it with 17 balls to spare and just three wickets down—courtesy of their skipper’s explosive innings and valuable contributions throughout the order.
Markram Leads the Charge
Markram anchored the chase in spectacular fashion, remaining unbeaten on 86 off just 44 deliveries. His innings was a masterclass in controlled aggression, featuring eight boundaries and four towering sixes that left the New Zealand bowling attack with few answers.
He found able support from Quinton de Kock (20), Ryan Rickelton (21), and Tristan Stubbs (21), who all chipped in with useful contributions. The experienced David Miller provided the finishing touch, scoring an unbeaten 24 off 17 balls to guide South Africa to their third consecutive victory in the 20-team tournament.
For New Zealand, Lockie Ferguson, James Neesham, and Rachin Ravindra managed one wicket apiece, but the total of 175 proved insufficient against South Africa’s powerful batting lineup.
Jansen’s Four-Wicket Haul Sets Up Victory
Earlier, Marco Jansen’s brilliant four-wicket haul had restricted New Zealand to 175/7 after the Blackcaps were put in to bat first.
New Zealand’s innings began promisingly, with openers Finn Allen and Tim Seifert racing to 33 runs in just 3.2 overs. Jansen provided the breakthrough, dismissing Seifert for a brisk 13 off nine balls, which included a four and a six.
Allen then added 24 runs with Rachin Ravindra (13) before Jansen struck twice in the sixth over, removing both batters in quick succession. Allen’s aggressive 17-ball knock of 31, featuring four fours and two sixes, had laid a strong foundation, but the side suddenly found themselves at 58/3.
The collapse deepened when Keshav Maharaj cleaned up Glenn Phillips for just one run, leaving New Zealand reeling at 64/4.
Chapman and Mitchell Lead Recovery
With the innings in disarray, Mark Chapman and Daryl Mitchell mounted a crucial recovery, adding 74 runs for the fifth wicket. Chapman top-scored for New Zealand with a fluent 48 off 26 deliveries, hammering six fours and two sixes. Mitchell provided solid support with a 24-ball 32, hitting two fours and a six. However, both fell in quick succession.
James Neesham provided late fireworks with an unbeaten 23 off just 15 balls, featuring three boundaries, to push New Zealand past the 175-run mark.
Jansen finished as the pick of the bowlers with impressive figures of 4/40 in his four overs. Lungi Ngidi, Corbin Bosch, and Maharaj claimed one wicket each, setting the stage for Markram’s heroics with the bat.
The victory keeps South Africa’s campaign firmly on track as they eye a spot in the Super Eight stage, while New Zealand will look to regroup after their first setback of the tournament.
Squads
New Zealand: Mitchell Santner (c), Finn Allen, Michael Bracewell, Mark Chapman, Devon Conway, Jacob Duffy, Lockie Ferguson, Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson, Daryl Mitchell, James Neesham, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Tim Seifert and Ish Sodhi.
South Africa: Aiden Markram (c), Corbin Bosch, Dewald Brevis, Quinton de Kock, Marco Jansen, George Linde, Keshav Maharaj, Kwena Maphaka, David Miller, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Jason Smith and Tristan Stubbs.
