West Indies vs South Africa Prediction & Match Preview – T20 World Cup 47th Match

West Indies come into this Super 8 match after crushing Zimbabwe by 107 runs. Batting first, they posted 254 with Shimron Hetmyer hitting 85 off 34 balls (seven fours, seven sixes) and Rovman Powell 59 off 34. Sherfane Rutherford finished on 31 not out and Romario Shepherd made 21.

The bowlers then dismissed Zimbabwe for 147 in 17.4 overs. Gudakesh Motie took 4 for 28, Akeal Hosein 3 for 28, Matthew Forde two wickets and Jason Holder one.

South Africa also arrive on a high, having beaten India by 76 runs. After choosing to bat, they scored 187 in 20 overs, David Miller making 63 off 35, Dewald Brevis 45 off 29 and Tristan Stubbs 44 not out.

In reply India were bowled out for 111 in 18.5 overs. Marco Jansen took 4 for 22, Keshav Maharaj 3 for 24, Corbin Bosch two and Aiden Markram one. Expect a high-quality contest, with powerplay wickets and the way each side handles the death overs likely to swing it by 15 to 20 runs.

Probable playing XI

Pitch report

Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium is known for batting-friendly surfaces in limited-overs cricket, offering good pace and steady bounce so batters can play their shots once set. Seamers may find some carry early, but it fades quickly. The pitch usually stays true, helping batters accelerate, while spinners get some grip only if they vary their pace and hit the right areas.

Weather

The afternoon in Ahmedabad on 26 February is expected to be hot and mostly sunny, with temperatures in the mid to high 30s °C and dry heat. Rain is not expected, and the strong sun may make conditions demanding on players.

Expected scores

• 1st innings: 170–185
• 2nd innings: 160–175

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