India captain Suryakumar Yadav believes his side can quickly recover from their heavy defeat to South Africa and still book a place in the knockout stages of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup.
India’s 76-run loss to the Proteas in Ahmedabad on Sunday ended their 12-match winning streak and dealt a blow to their title defence hopes after lifting the trophy in Barbados in 2024.
India suffered their first defeat of the tournament when South Africa national cricket team posted 187/7 and then restricted the defending champions well short of the target.
The loss leaves India with work to do in the Super Eights stage. They will most likely need victories against Zimbabwe and the West Indies in their remaining fixtures to secure a semi-final berth.
However, one win could still be enough if the Proteas remain unbeaten during this phase.
'Keep it simple,' says Suryakumar
India’s next clash is against Zimbabwe national cricket team in Chennai on Thursday, followed by a crucial encounter with the West Indies cricket team.
Despite the setback, Suryakumar insisted there is no need for drastic changes.
Also Read: South Africa thrash India in T20 World Cup Super Eight clash
“Hopefully bat well, bowl well and field well,” he said bluntly when asked what India must do to bounce back. “That’s it. We’ll try and keep it simple. Play the same brand of cricket, which we want to play and nothing changes and I think we’ll come back strong.”
Powerplay collapse proves costly
India’s chase unravelled early, with three wickets falling inside the Powerplay, including the No 1 ranked T20I batter Abhishek Sharma, who managed just 14. The left-hander’s ongoing lean patch is becoming a concern for the team.
Reflecting on the defeat, Suryakumar said: “Sometimes you’ve got to think, if you’re chasing 180-185, you can’t win the game in the Powerplay, but you might lose the game in the Powerplay.”
“We lost too many wickets in the Powerplay. And then we couldn’t have small partnerships, which we wanted to have for chasing 180-185. But then that’s part of the game. We learnt it, we’ll sit back and then come back stronger.”
Miller powers South Africa to statement win
Veteran batter David Miller was the standout performer for South Africa, smashing 63 off just 35 deliveries. His explosive knock earned him the Player of the Match award and ensured the Proteas made a perfect start to the Super Eights.
The win has boosted South Africa’s confidence as they aim to go one step further than their runners-up finish behind India at the 2024 T20 World Cup.
“(Today proves) that they (India) are beatable,” Miller said after the match.
“India come with, as I mentioned, an incredible team, but I think for us in a tournament like this, it’s about making sure that we do the simple things and stay in our lane as a player and do the job.”
He added that South Africa’s maturity could prove vital under pressure.
“We’re a mature team. A lot of guys have played together and a lot of cricket for South Africa and that goes a long way under pressure. So I think it’s just staying in your lane, making sure that you get the job done and keep wanting more.”
With two crucial matches ahead, India now face a defining stretch in their campaign — one that will test both their temperament and their title credentials.
