South Africa faced India in their first Super 8s match of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 on Sunday (February 22). In the fixture played at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, South Africa posted
a total of 187/7 in 20 overs and then bowled India out for 111 in 18.5 overs to secure a big win by 76 runs. The win in Ahmedabad helped South Africa become the first team in ICC Men’s T20 World Cup history to defeat India by more than 50 runs in a T20 World Cup match.
India’s previous biggest defeat in an ICC Men’s T20 World Cup match was by 49 runs against Australia in Bridgetown on May 7, 2010.
In that fixture, India could only manage to score 135 runs in the chase of 185.
Biggest wins over India in T20 World Cup (by runs)
| TEAM | MARGIN | TARGET | INDIA’s SCORE | VENUE | DATE |
| South Africa | 76 | 188 | 111/10 | Ahmedabad | February 22, 2026 |
| Australia | 49 | 185 | 135/10 | Bridgetown | May 7, 2010 |
| New Zealand | 47 | 127 | 79/10 | Nagpur | March 15, 2016 |
| West Indies | 14 | 170 | 155/9 | Bridgetown | May 9, 2010 |
| South Africa | 12 | 131 | 118/8 | Nottingham | June 16, 2009 |
The defeat by 76 runs on Sunday in Ahmedabad is also India’s second heaviest loss in T20Is in terms of runs.
New Zealand still hold the record of securing the biggest win over India in T20I by run margin.
In the fixture played at Wellington on February 6, 2019, the Kiwis crushed India by 80 runs.
Biggest wins over India in T20Is (by runs)
| TEAM | MARGIN | TARGET | INDIA’s SCORE | VENUE | DATE |
| New Zealand | 80 | 220 | 139/10 | Wellington | February 6, 2019 |
| South Africa | 76 | 188 | 111/10 | Ahmedabad | February 22, 2026 |
| South Africa | 51 | 214 | 162/10 | Mullanpur | December 11, 2025 |
| New Zealand | 50 | 216 | 165/10 | Visakhapatnam | January 28, 2026 |
| Australia | 49 | 185 | 135/10 | Bridgetown | May 7, 2010 |
| South Africa | 49 | 228 | 178/10 | Indore | October 4, 2022 |
| New Zealand | 47 | 127 | 79/10 | Nagpur | March 15, 2016 |
| New Zealand | 40 | 197 | 156/7 | Rajkot | November 4, 2017 |
| Australia | 31 | 172 | 140/6 | Sydney | February 1, 2012 |
| Sri Lanka | 29 | 216 | 186/9 | Nagpur | December 9, 2009 |
The defeat against South Africa at Narendra Modi Stadium was India’s first loss in the T20 World Cup since November 10, 2022. In the semifinal of the 2022 T20 World Cup played at the Adelaide Oval, England crushed India by 10 wickets.
India last lost a match in the ICC events on November 19, 2023. In the summit clash of the 2023 ODI World Cup played at Narendra Modi Stadium, Australia chased down the target of 241 runs in 43 overs to secure a memorable win by 6 wickets.
