Team India with Rohit Sharma. Image Credits: X
India received a heavy beating at the hands of South Africa at Ahmedabad's Narendra Modi Stadium last Sunday. Chasing for the first time this T20 World Cup 2026, the Men in Blue crumbled in the chase of 188 runs, and they were folded for nelson to lose their first Super 8 fixture by 76 runs.
The reigning champions, who lost their match in any ICC tournament after 17 games, find themselves in a do-or-die situation ahead of the clashes against Zimbabwe and the West Indies.
Deemed the team to beat, the Suryakumar Yadav-led unit not only has to win both their remaining matches but also beat the opponents convincingly to improve their net run rate (-3.800).
After losing a heart-wrenching ODI World Cup final to Australia in Ahmedabad, India played an impeccable brand of cricket during the 2024 T20 World Cup and 2025 Champions Trophy, winning both white-ball tournaments with a 100% winning streak.
Has the story been the same for the Men in Blue in ICC tournaments? No!
Also Read: India T20 World Cup Qualification Scenario For Semifinal Explained After South Africa Defeat
When did India last failed miserably in ICC events?
India are one of the few teams to play all ICC events so far, with a winning percentage of 67.21 after 186 matches in ICC white-ball tournaments (World Cup, T20 World Cup and Champions Trophy).
Notably, India have advanced to the knockouts in all ICC events since the 2022 T20 World Cup, where the Virat Kohli-led team were eliminated from the group stages after losing to Pakistan and New Zealand.
Meanwhile, the 1983 and 2011 champions last failed to advance in an ODI World Cup at the 2007 edition, held in the West Indies. In that particular event, the Men in Blue, led by Rahul Dravid, lost to Bangladesh and Sri Lanka and could win just a solitary game against Bermuda.
It was 17 years ago that the reigning Champions Trophy winners failed to qualify for the semifinals of the given ICC tournament under MS Dhoni's leadership.
SA Thump India at Narendra Modi Stadium
Last Sunday, the Aiden Markram-led South Africa played a near-perfect game against India to win it by a handsome margin of 76 runs. Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh have the hosts an early advantage as the Proteas were 20/3 after four overs, but David Miller (63), Dewald Brevis (45) and Tristan Stubbs (44) made a mickey of the Indian bowlers.
After putting 187/7 on the board, the South Africans came in with a specific plan for each and every Indian batter. The top order succumbed under pressure, and the middle order failed to revive the innings as India collapsed. Shivam Dube's 37-ball 42 took the home team to the three-figure mark, but they were bowled out for 111 in 18.5 overs.
It is worth mentioning that India spoiled South Africa's party in the final of the 2024 T20 World Cup, where special efforts from Bumrah, Hardik Pandya and Suryakumar Yadav snatched the silverware from the Rainbow Nation.
Nevertheless, the Men in Blue will now take on Zimbabwe at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Thursday, before facing the West Indies in Kolkata next Sunday.
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