Source NDTV sport
AHMEDABAD — Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav did not mince words following India’s crushing 76-run defeat to South Africa in their T20 World Cup Super Eights opener on Sunday. In a candid post-match assessment, the skipper admitted that while a steep chase cannot be won in the first six overs, it can certainly be lost there.
Chasing a formidable target of 188 at the Narendra Modi Stadium, India’s batting lineup crumbled under pressure, collapsing to 111 all out in 18.5 overs. The defeat marks India’s heaviest-ever loss in T20 World Cup history by runs, surpassing a 16-year-old record.
The Powerplay Collapse
India’s chase was derailed almost immediately. The “Men in Blue” slipped to a precarious 26/3 within the first 4.3 overs, losing key wickets including Ishan Kishan for a duck and Tilak Varma for just 1.
“My thing is, sometimes you’ve got to think—if you’re chasing 180-185, you can’t win the game in the powerplay, but you might lose the game in the powerplay,” Suryakumar said during the post-match presentation. “We lost too many wickets early and then we couldn’t build the small partnerships we needed.”
Bowlers Keep India in the Hunt
Despite the batting failure, Yadav praised his bowling unit for their early clinical performance. Led by Jasprit Bumrah (3/15) and Arshdeep Singh (2/28), India had South Africa reeling at 21/3 at one stage. However, a massive 97-run stand between David Miller (63) and Dewald Brevis (45) allowed the Proteas to recover and set a target that eventually proved too much for the hosts.
“Overall, we bowled really well, but we could have batted a little better,” the captain added, noting the “lethal” combination of his opening bowlers.
The Road Ahead
The defeat has significantly dented India’s Net Run Rate (-3.800), leaving them with a steep mountain to climb to reach the semi-finals. India must now win their remaining Super Eight fixtures to stay in contention.
