The Super 8 clash on February 26 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad will witness two unbeaten teams in the T20 World Cup 2026 fighting against each other. Both West Indies and South Africa have won all five matches so far and are pushing hard for a semifinal berth.
The West Indies have relied on their batting to dominate opponents. Their 107-run hammering of Zimbabwe showcased their six-hitting power, with the top order consistently taking games away in quick bursts. Their bowlers, too, have complemented the batters well.
On the other hand, South Africa will be running high on confidence after a 76-run win over India in Ahmedabad. The Proteas have utilised their strengths brilliantly, and Aiden Markram will marshal his troops to yet another win.
Here are the top 3 player battles to watch out for in WI vs SA, T20 WC 2026
3. Shimron Hetmyer vs Kagiso Rabada
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The match-up between Shimron Hetmyer and Kagiso Rabada in the upcoming game will bea sight to watch for the fans. Hetmyer has been in fine touch, scoring 219 runs at an average of 54.75, including 17 sixes, the most in the tournament. His recent knocks of 85 against Zimbabwe and 64 against Scotland have played a huge role in his team’s unbeaten campaign. Against Rabada in T20s, however, he has managed just 19 runs off 20 balls across four innings, striking at 95 without being dismissed.
Meanwhile, Rabada has endured a lean run, going wicketless in four of his seven T20Is this year. In the tournament, he has returned figures like 0/30, 0/27, and 0/32, struggling for breakthroughs despite bowling economically at 5.70 in this head-to-head.
| Matches | Innings | Runs Scored | Balls Bowled | Strike Rate | Economy Rate | Wicket Taken |
| 04 | 04 | 19 | 20 | 95.00 | 5.70 | 04 |
2. Rovman Powell vs Keshav Maharaj
The battle between Rovman Powell and Keshav Maharaj could determine the middle overs in the upcoming fixture. Notably, Powell has struggled against the left-arm spinner, scoring just eight runs in four innings at a strike rate of 50, while Maharaj has dismissed him twice at an economy of 3.00, holding the upper hand.
However, Powell is coming off strong form. He smashed 59 off 35 balls against Zimbabwe and is closing in on becoming the West Indies’ highest T20I run-scorer, needing 58 more runs to surpass Nicholas Pooran. On the other hand, Maharaj has been impactful this tournament, returning figures of 3/24 against India and 1/24 versus New Zealand.
| Matches | Innings | Runs Scored | Balls Bowled | Strike Rate | Economy Rate | Wicket Taken |
| 04 | 04 | 04 | 08 | 50.00 | 3.00 | 02 |
1. David Miller vs Akeal Hosein
The Super 8 clash between West Indies and South Africa at Ahmedabad will witness a battle between David Miller and Akeal Hosein. Interestingly, the two have never faced each other in T20Is. Miller has been in solid form this tournament and is coming off a counter-attacking 63 off 35 balls against India in Ahmedabad. Batting at No.5, he also registered unbeaten knocks of 24, 20, and 39, showcasing his finishing brilliance.
Hosein has been lethal with the new ball. He picked up 3/28 against Zimbabwe and has consistently struck in the powerplay, including figures of 1/25 and 1/30 in earlier games. The battle between the two during the middle overs will be interesting to watch as both players have the skillset to take the game away from the opposition.
| Matches | Innings | Runs Scored | Balls Bowled | Strike Rate | Economy Rate | Wicket Taken |
| 00 | 00 | 00 | 00 | 00 | 00 | 00 |
