🏏ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026:M34: SA vs UAE, Delhi 🏏 - Page 3

Challenging conditions, I think, for batting. We've had a bit of rain this morning, very, very heavy, overcast conditions. Quite cool, actually, at the m​oment, about 16 degrees. If that sun comes through, the temperature's going to rise, maybe as high as 24 or so degrees. In terms of the pitch, though, we've moved across. This one has been used three times. 72​m down the ground, away to my left, 59. Through the covers, if you're a right-handed batsman batting at the Gautam Gambhir stand-in, that's 66​m. Now, one man who I would not want to face in these conditions is standing alongside me. What do you reckon about this, Polly, and the overheads? W​Wardy, I'm 52 years old. I'm sure you could face me at this stage. The condition was, well, it's a bit like an English county circuit kind of feel. If you go down and feel it, it's cold. That's the thing. So normally what happens is the moisture put in overnight burns off with the hot sun that comes down. It's not the case today. If we have a look at what happened ​in the Indian game when they batted first, they looked like they were going to post maybe 250, but then Sco​ltz and Erasmus managed to come on and bowl some good deliveries to them and restricted them to 209. But in fact, on this surface, it's ​got the least amount of turn. 1.6 degrees is all the ​a​ssistance that the spinners have gone, and the rest of the grounds have been well in and above it. So I think initially it's going to be a little bit tacky, and you're going to get some movement for the faster bowlers. But Aidan Markram was the one who won the toss. He made the decision of bowling first​, reckons Shaun Pollock and Ian Ward, in their pitch report

Muhammad Waseem: Yeah, I think we probably would have had a bowl as well. It does look like there’s a little bit in it early on, maybe a bit of moisture, so we’ll have to assess conditions quickly. But having said that, we’re happy to bat first too. It’s about adapting well, putting up a competitive total, and then backing our bowlers to defend it. Possibly. If the sun comes out and it dries up a touch, it could ease out. The key for us will be getting through that first phase safely, building partnerships, and then trying to accelerate through the middle and back end. Just one change. We’ve brought in Aaron Malik, who gives us a bit more balance with both bat and ball. The rest of the group stays the same. The boys have built some nice momentum, so it’s about keeping that going and sticking to what’s worked for us so far.

Aiden Markram: Yeah, we're gonna bowl first. Obviously a bit of rain around. There's been moisture in here this morning and we'll be able to maybe find something in the wicket up front. Yeah, it feels it. Most of the square feels it as well. I don't know how much rain fell last night or how much water's been applied, but definitely has that tacky feel. And with our seamers up front, and even potentially spin may hold in the wicket, I think we can give a good start. Yeah, we've got four changes. It depends who you ask. More often than not, I think it's one thing with the full squad, if we get an opportunity now to give guys game time. Everybody's been working really hard behind the scenes, but there's nothing quite like the test of the whole world. So that's where we are now. We've got some guys getting controlled the problem and whatever the problem is, we're gonna go another notch and that's pretty much the thing to do out here.

South Africa opt to bowl

UAE

29-0(2.3)

CRR11.6

Linde to Muhammad Waseem, OUT

need to dot in some quiet overs. Looped full and skids on at middle and leg, he yanks front leg out of the way to sweep and misses it completely, adjudged lbw straightaway but he wants another opinion from the folks upstairs. Might have pitched outside leg, we got all three reds and this is a massive breakthrough, excellent bowling change to break the rhythm and tempo; they were enjoying pace.

Muhammad Waseem lbw b Linde 22 (12b 4x4 0x6) SR: 183.33

United Arab Emirates

(4.5/20 ov) 38/1

South Africa

South Africa chose to field.

Stats view

Current RR: 7.86

Live Forecast:

UAE 155

W

Corbin Bosch to Sharma, OUT

Lands it a touch short and attacks his body, chest height and it's an irresponsible shot, trying to manufacture a difficult shot from that angle and height, clears his front leg and pulls it in the air, holes out to Maphaka at midwicket, has struggled to execute the pull and once again the shot backfires. Brilliant adjustment of line and successfully cramped him for room

Aryansh Sharma c Maphaka b Bosch 13 (17b 1x4 1x6) SR: 76.47

United Arab Emirates

(5.3/20 ov) 43/2

South Africa

South Africa chose to field.

Stats view

Current RR: 7.81

• Last 5 ov (RR): 43/2 (8.60)

Live Forecast:

UAE 158

UAE 79-3(13)

CRR:6.08

South Africa opt to bowl

​Over Summary (7-13 ov)

* Alishan Sharafu bri8ngs up UAE's 50 with a streaky boundary

* Nortje concedes 12 runs in the 8th over

* Sohaib Khan falls cheaply, OUT for 6. Bosch with the wicket

* Boundaries dry up as South Africa take complete control

Anrich Nortje to Syed Haider, out Caught by Kwena Maphaka!! A no-look pull and the top-edge has been swallowed at mid-wicket - banged in short and at the stumps, Haider backs away on the pull and is rushed onto the pull, he took his eyes off it and the ball lobs into the hands of mid-wicket. Maphaka with the catch and the players will take drinks at the fall of Haider. Syed Haider c Kwena Maphaka b Anrich Nortje 6(15)

Anrich Nortje to Syed Haider, THATS OUT!! Caught!!

UAE--82/4