India vs South Africa at 2026 T20 World Cup and India vs Australia at 2023 World Cup. Image Credits: X
India's crushing 76-run defeat against South Africa in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 has not only shaken their campaign but also revived painful memories of the 2023 ODI World Cup final. The venue was the same, the iconic Narendra Modi Stadium, and so was the heartbreak.
On February 22, 2026, the ‘Men in Blue’ saw their unbeaten run in the T20 World Cup come to an abrupt end. Led by Suryakumar Yadav, India were bowled out for just 111 while chasing 188 against South Africa.
It was their biggest defeat in T20 World Cup history in terms of runs. The loss also marked India's first defeat in an ICC event since the 2023 ODI World Cup final.
India's Journey in 2023 ODI World Cup
In the 2023 ODI World Cup final, batting first, India scored 240 runs. Despite solid contributions from Rohit Sharma (47), Virat Kohli (54) and KL Rahul (66), they could not post a commanding total.
In return for chasing the target, Australia lost the opener David Warner at a low score, but on the other side, Travis Head looked unstoppable and single-handedly took the game away from India. The star batter made 137 runs off 120 balls at a strike rate of 114.17.
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Insane similarities between India's journey in 2023 ODI World Cup and 2026 T20 World Cup
The similarities between the two defeats are striking. In the 2023 ODI World Cup final at the same Ahmedabad ground, India entered the summit clash unbeaten, having won 10 consecutive matches.
They were favourites to lift the trophy. However, Australia stunned them with a six-wicket victory in the final clash.
Fast forward to 2026, and history seemed to repeat itself. India again returned to the Narendra Modi Stadium riding a massive unbeaten streak, this time 17 matches in ICC white-ball tournaments dating back to the 2023 final. Again, their winning run was shattered on the same ground.
Another striking similarity between the two matches revolves around Suryakumar Yadav. In the 2023 ODI World Cup final, he scored 18 runs off 28 balls at a strike rate of 64.28. In the 2026 T20 World Cup, he again scored exactly 18, this time off 22 balls at a strike rate of 81.82.
End of invincible streaks
- 2023 ODI World Cup: India won 10 straight games before losing the final.
- 2026 T20 World Cup: India went 17 ICC white-ball matches unbeaten before South Africa ended the streak.
India's road ahead in T20 World Cup 2026
Despite the setback, it is important to note that India’s T20 World Cup campaign is not over. They still have two Super 8 matches remaining against Zimbabwe in Chennai and the West Indies in Kolkata. However, the margin of victory could be crucial due to NRR concerns.
Interestingly, India would now prefer that South Africa win their remaining matches against the West Indies and Zimbabwe. Any unexpected result in the group could further complicate qualification scenarios for the 'Men in Blue'.
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