South Africa beat the United Arab Emirates by 6 wickets in their Group D match of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi on February 18, 2026. South Africa won the toss and chose to bowl first.
UAE came in with confidence after their earlier results, but South Africa’s attack kept them on a tight leash through the middle overs. Corbin Bosch led the bowling with 3 wickets, and Anrich Nortje backed him up with key strikes.
Chasing a small target, South Africa started fast through Aiden Markram and Ryan Rickelton. Dewald Brevis stayed unbeaten to finish the chase, as South Africa crossed the line with wickets in hand.
Match Summary
| Team | Score | Overs |
|---|---|---|
| UAE | 122/6 | 20 |
| South Africa | 123/4 | 13.2 |
| Result | South Africa won by 6 wickets | South Africa won by 6 wickets |
UAE Lose Momentum After A Bright Start
UAE began with intent as Muhammad Waseem attacked early and scored 22 off 12 balls. South Africa answered quickly when George Linde trapped Waseem lbw, which slowed the scoring.
After that, UAE leaned on Alishan Sharafu. He top-scored with 45 off 38 balls, but South Africa did not allow a big finish. Nortje removed Sharafu late, and Bosch cleaned up the lower order with three wickets to keep UAE to 122 for 6.
Top Batting Performances
| Batter | Team | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alishan Sharafu | UAE | 45 | 38 | 5 | 1 |
| Muhammad Waseem | UAE | 22 | 12 | 4 | 0 |
| Ryan Rickelton | South Africa | 30 | 16 | 3 | 2 |
| Aiden Markram | South Africa | 28 | 11 | 5 | 1 |
| Dewald Brevis | South Africa | 36 | 25 | 1 | 3 |
Markram And Rickelton Make The Chase Simple
South Africa came out hard in the powerplay. Markram smashed 28 off 11 balls and set the tone with clean hitting. Rickelton kept the pressure on the bowlers with 30 off 16, including two sixes.
UAE picked up wickets, but the target stayed too small. Dewald Brevis held the chase together with an unbeaten 28 off 21 balls, and South Africa finished the game without any late drama.
Top Bowling Performances
| Bowler | Team | Overs | Runs | Wickets | Econ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Corbin Bosch | South Africa | 4 | 12 | 3 | 3.00 |
| Anrich Nortje | South Africa | 4 | 28 | 2 | 7.00 |
| George Linde | South Africa | 4 | 17 | 1 | 4.20 |
Player of the Match: Corbin Bosch
Corbin Bosch earned Player of the Match for his match-winningthe spell of 3 for 12. He hit hard lengths, rushed the batters, and removed key wickets to stop UAE from pushing past a safe total.
This win keeps South Africa’s momentum strong heading into the next stage. Their bowling stayed disciplined, and their top order made sure the chase ended early.
For the UAE, Sharafu’s 45 was the standout, but they needed more support and a bigger finish at the death. Against top teams, 122 rarely gives enough cushion.
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