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South Africa will face Canada in the ninth match of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Monday evening, February 9.
South Africa head into the tournament with plenty of confidence after finishing as runners-up in the previous edition. Under the leadership of Aiden Markram, the Proteas have continued to enjoy success in T20 cricket, winning majority of their matches. Their batting lineup is capable of putting up massive totals, while their bowling attack has the quality to apply sustained pressure and defend scores effectively.
Canada, meanwhile, step into the contest as underdogs but not without belief. They earned their place in the T20 World Cup 2026 through strong performances in the Americas qualifiers and gained valuable exposure during the 2024 tournament. Facing a powerhouse like South Africa will be a tough challenge, but Canada will be keen to test themselves against elite opposition and make a strong statement on the global stage.
SA vs CAN, T20 World Cup 2026: Match details
- Date and Time: February 9; 7:00 pm IST / 1:30 pm GMT
- Venue: Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad
SA vs CAN, Head-to-Head Record in T20Is
This will be the first contest between the two teams in the shortest format of the game.
Narendra Modi Stadium Pitch Report
The Narendra Modi Stadium is well known for producing high-scoring contests, with conditions that generally favour batters. The surface often allows the ball to come nicely onto the bat, encouraging stroke-play and giving hitters the confidence to play their shots freely. As a result, teams are usually keen to make the most of the powerplay and build strong totals at this venue.
Early in the match, fast bowlers can also find some assistance. With a fresh pitch and the new ball, there is often a bit of pace and carry, which can reward bowlers who hit the right lengths and use variations smartly. However, as the game progresses, the surface tends to slow down, bringing spinners into the contest. The ball starts gripping more, allowing turn and making timing slightly tougher for batters, especially in the middle overs.
Another key factor at the Narendra Modi Stadium is dew, particularly in evening matches. As moisture settles on the surface, bowling can become challenging, and gripping the ball may prove difficult. This often tilts the balance in favour of teams chasing, making the toss an important element in shaping match strategy.
Squads
South Africa: Quinton de Kock (wk), Aiden Markram (c), Ryan Rickelton, Dewald Brevis, David Miller, Jason Smith, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje, Lungi Ngidi, Corbin Bosch, George Linde, Tristan Stubbs, Kwena Maphaka
Canada: Dilpreet Bajwa (c), Yuvraj Samra, Navneet Dhaliwal, Nicholas Kirton, Shreyas Movva(w), Kanwarpal Tathgur, Jaskaran Singh, Saad Bin Zafar, Shivam Sharma, Dilon Heyliger, Kaleem Sana, Ansh Patel, Ajayveer Hundal, Ravinderpal Singh, Harsh Thaker
SA vs CAN, T20 World Cup 2026: Today’s Match Prediction
Case 1:
- South Africa wins the toss and bats first
- South Africa’s powerplay score: 60-70 (6 overs)
- South Africa’s total score: 170-180
Case 2:
- Canada wins the toss and bats first
- Canada’s powerplay score: 40-50 (6 overs)
- Canada’s total score: 155-165
Match result: Zimbabwe to win the contest.
