South Africa crushed UAE in the 34th match of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 at Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi. After being asked to bat first, UAE managed to score 122/6 in 20 overs. Corbin Bosch (3/12 in 4 overs) was the most successful bowler for South Africa, while Anrich Nortje also took two wickets. Alishan Sharafu was the highest scorer for UAE.

While chasing, South Africa lost a few wickets but cruised to the target in just 13.2 overs. Dewald Brevis was the highest scorer for South Africa. Muhammad Irfan (2/16 in 2 overs) was the most successful bowler for UAE. With this win, South Africa remained unbeaten in the group stage.

Bowlers Control the Game

Corbin Bosch led the bowling attack. He picked up three wickets and bowled with control in all phases of the innings. He dismissed Aryansh Sharma and Muhammad Arfan with pulls to midwicket. Later, he used extra bounce to force Sohaib Khan to edge behind.

George Linde supported him well. He returned figures of 1 for 17 and removed Muhammad Waseem. He bowled tight lines and conceded only one boundary in his spell.

Anrich Nortje bounced back strongly after an expensive start. He dismissed Syed Haider and Alishan Sharafu with short deliveries that produced catches in the deep.

On a slow pitch, South Africa’s pacers focused on short and hard lengths. They bowled 46 short or short-of-good-length deliveries. They conceded just 41 runs and took four wickets from those balls. In the death overs, UAE managed only 20 runs and lost two wickets.

UAE Struggle for Momentum

UAE could not build partnerships in their final match of the tournament. Alishan Sharafu top-scored with 45 off 38 balls. However, six of their eight batters scored 13 or fewer.

Muhammad Waseem started aggressively. He struck early boundaries off Kwena Maphaka and Kagiso Rabada. But when he tried to attack spin, he missed a sweep against Linde and was trapped lbw.

Sharafu began well but struggled to maintain rhythm. The ball struck his helmet twice. Fielders dropped him twice. He went 17 balls without a boundary before hitting three fours late in his innings. Eventually, he edged a cramped pull to midwicket.

Although four UAE bowlers claimed one wicket each, they never looked threatening during the chase.

Missed Chances in the Field

South Africa dropped four catches during UAE’s innings. Quinton de Kock missed a running chance early on. Later, Nortje and Bosch also failed to hold on to opportunities in the deep. These errors were the only negative in an otherwise strong performance.

Quick Chase Seals the Win

A short rain break between innings did not slow South Africa. The top order attacked from the start. They scored 56 runs in the powerplay, hitting 11 fours and one six.

Aiden Markram set the tone. He smashed five fours and a six in just 11 balls. He punished loose bowling before losing his wicket while attempting another big shot.

Rickelton and de Kock continued the momentum. De Kock fell while cutting to deep backward point. By then, the required rate had dropped below five per over.

Rickelton and Brevis Finish the Job

Ryan Rickelton and Dewald Brevis took control in the middle overs. Brevis played aggressive shots against Muhammad Jawadullah and Haider Ali. Rickelton struck two sixes off Muhammad Farooq before getting out near the boundary.

Tristan Stubbs added a quick six before falling. Soon after, South Africa completed the chase with ease. They remained unbeaten and moved into the Super Eight with strong momentum and confidence.

Brief Scorecard