Quick Results: South Africa (178/3 in 17.1 overs) beat New Zealand (175/7 in 20 overs) by 7 wickets in Ahmedabad in a Group D match.
NZ vs SA T20 WORLD CUP 2026: MAIN | SCORECARD
Marc Jansen’s first T20I four-wicket haul brushed aside two threatening New Zealand waves as South Africa cruised to victory and moved closer to sealing the top spot in Group D of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in Ahmedabad.
Jansen returned figures of 4 for 40 and struck every time New Zealand threatened to take control. The Kiwis flew out of the blocks to reach 33 for no loss in 3.1 overs and 57 for 1 in 5.1. They later progressed to 138 for 4 in 13.5 overs, keeping the pressure on South Africa in what was likely to be the first close night game of the tournament.
However, Jansen ensured that the momentum never quite changed. His early discoveries caused a slowdown at the death, with New Zealand managing just 37 runs from the last 37 balls to end at 175 for 7.
In reply, captain Aiden Markram led from the front with a superb unbeaten 86 off 44 balls, his highest score in T20 Internationals. Chasing down the target of 176 runs in 17.1 overs, South Africa completed the first successful overnight chase in this World Cup. David Miller sealed the result with a powerful six off the first ball of the 18th over.
The comprehensive seven-wicket win also extended South Africa’s unbeaten run against New Zealand in the T20 World Cup to 5-0. With the Super 8 qualification scenarios largely foregone as long as the teams advance, the result was significant for momentum. South Africa has taken it strong.
Earlier, New Zealand recovered from an early wobble in a counter-attack between Mark Chapman and Daryl Mitchell to score 175 for seven in their World T20 Cup Group D encounter on Saturday.
Asked to bat on a surface offering pace and steep bounce, New Zealand found themselves tested early despite a lively start. Almost 30,000 spectators came to the much-anticipated match between two undefeated teams, which underlined the importance of the match.
Tim Seifert (13 off 9) signaled his intent by dropping Marc Jansen for a six, while Finn Allen continued in the same vein, taking on Lungi Ngidi with a towering six and a boundary in one over. But Jansen soon hit back, extracting a fierce rebound for Seifert to be held out by Quinton de Kock.
A left arm rush then triggered a collapse. Rachin Ravindra (13) fell to the catch of David Miller and Allen (31 off 17) confused skipper Aiden Markram as South Africa regained control. When Keshav Maharaj cleaned up Glenn Phillips (1), New Zealand slumped to 64 for four in seven overs.
Although Ngidi (1/34) and Kagiso Rabada (0/27) produced a good delivery, they couldn’t sustain the pressure consistently, with Ngidi drifting down the line at times, offering scoring opportunities.
As the innings threatened to unravel, Chapman and Mitchell mounted a measured response. Chapman led the attack with a fluent 48 off 26 balls, hitting six fours and two sixes while spinning the strike effectively. Mitchell (32 off 24) provided the anchor, absorbing the pressure before stepping up when needed.
The pair took on Markram as he introduced himself in attack, both loosening the ropes and turning back to New Zealand’s way. Their partnership enlivened the innings and positioned the Black Caps for a strong finish.
However, South Africa returned the death. Jansen returned to remove Chapman just shy of his half-century, with Ryan Rickelton completing the catch. Mitchell drove to Ngidi soon after and Corbin Bosch made sure Mitchell Santner stopped a late charge.
Jansen proved to be the outstanding bowler with figures of 4 for 40 while Bosch took a disciplined 1 for 34. Maharaj also played his part with 1 for 24.
A late unbeaten 23 from James Neesham ensured New Zealand finished with a competitive total of 175 for seven.
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Issued by:
Saurabh Kumar
Published on:
February 14, 2026