T20 WC: Unbeaten South Africa thrash UAE to top group
What's the story
South Africa have secured a comfortable victory over the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in their final group-stage match of the ICC T20 World Cup 2026. The game, which was played at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi, saw the Proteas team accomplish the 123-run target without much hassle. With this win, South Africa finished their group stage campaign unbeaten, having won all four matches. UAE ended their campaign with just one win in three matches.
Match highlights
Nortje, Bosch return to dent UAE
Anrich Nortje made a strong comeback to the team, teaming up with Corbin Bosch to restrict UAE to a modest total of 122/6. The duo used their pace and bounce effectively, keeping the UAE batters under constant pressure. Nortje took two wickets for 28 runs (4 overs) while Bosch was outstanding with figures of three wickets for just 12 runs (4 overs). Spinner George Linde (1/17 in 4 overs) was SA's other wicket-taker.
Batting struggles
Sharafu's fighting knock goes in vain
Despite Alishan Sharafu's fighting knock of 45 runs off 38 balls, UAE's innings fell short. Sharafu was dropped twice by South Africa's fielders during his innings. Captain Muhammad Waseem also looked dangerous early on, scoring 22 runs off just 12 balls before being trapped lbw by Linde. No other UAE batter could even touch the 15-run mark.
Winning run
How did the Proteas's innings pan out?
In their chase, South Africa lost Aiden Markram (28 off 11) and Quinton de Kock (14 off 16) early. However, a steady partnership between Ryan Rickelton (30 off 16) and Dewald Brevis (36 off 25) guided them to victory. Finally, Jason Smith (6*) and Tristan Stubbs (3*) guided their team home with six wickets and 40 balls remaining. The likes of Haider Ali, Muhammad Jawadullah, Muhammad Arfan, and Muhammad Farooq scalped one wicket each for UAE.
Nortje
Nortje breaks this record of Tim Southee
Nortje's performance against UAE took his T20 World Cup wicket tally to 37 in 20 matches at 11.54, as per ESPNcricinfo. With this spell, the South African became the second-highest wicket-taker among pacers in ICC T20 World Cup history He is now only behind Sri Lanka's Lasith Malinga (38). Notably, the UAE game marked his first appearance in the ongoing tourney.
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Here are his T20I numbers
Playing his 46th T20I, Nortje owns 55 wickets at an average of 21.05. His economy rate is an impressive 7.29. As per ESPNcricinfo, Nortje has raced to 212 T20 wickets from 169 matches.
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Three wickets for Bosch
Bosch was the pick of the bowlers for South Africa with impressive figures of 3/12 in four overs. This spell took his T20I tally to 27 wickets from 18 matches at 17.55 (ER: 7.64). The pace-bowling all-rounder has completed 14.60 in the ongoing tourney at 14.60.
Markram
Markram becomes the leading run-getter
Markram's 11-ball 28 was laced with five fours and a six. During his stay, the SA opener became the leading run-getter of the 2026 T20 WC. Markram has racked up 178 runs from four games at an average of 59.33. His strike rate has been higher than usual (187.36). The Proteas skipper has fired two half-centuries so far. He went past Tim Seifert's tally of 173 runs.