India’s aura of invincibility at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad was shattered on Sunday as South Africa handed the defending champions a staggering 76-run defeat in their T20 World Cup 2026 Super 8 opener. The loss was particularly stinging as it snapped India’s remarkable 12-match winning streak in T20 World Cups, a run that had lasted since their 2024 title victory. Chasing a formidable target of 188, the Indian batting lineup suffered a catastrophic collapse, folding for just 111 runs in 18.5 overs as the Proteas bowlers, led by Marco Jansen’s four-wicket haul, executed their plans with clinical precision. The South African innings was anchored by a resurgent David Miller, who smashed 63 off 35 balls, and a mature 45 from young sensation Dewald Brevis. The duo shared a 97-run partnership that rescued South Africa from a precarious 21 for 3, effectively taking the game away from India after Jasprit Bumrah’s early brilliance. Bumrah was the lone shining light for the hosts, finishing with figures of 3 for 15 and surpassing Ravichandran Ashwin’s record for the most wickets by an Indian in T20 World Cup history, but his efforts were ultimately overshadowed by a lackluster performance from the rest of the attack and a timid display by the top-order batters. Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav was candid in his assessment after the match, admitting that the team’s application was poor during the chase. He pointed out that while a team might not win a game in the Powerplay, they can certainly lose it there, and losing three wickets for just 29 runs in the first five overs left the middle order with too much to do. Yadav emphasized that the failure to build small partnerships on a surface where the ball was gripping made a chase of 180-plus impossible. The reaction from ex-cricketers and the media has been swift and sharp, with much of the criticism directed at head coach Gautam Gambhir’s tactical decisions. The exclusion of vice-captain Axar Patel in favor of Washington Sundar sparked intense debate on social media, with experts questioning why a proven match-winner like Axar was left out on a pitch that clearly assisted spin. Analysts also noted that the Indian spinners, including Varun Chakaravarthy, struggled to maintain pressure during the middle overs, allowing Miller and Brevis to dictate terms after the initial breakthroughs. Adding to the drama was a significant backlash against a Star Sports promotional advertisement that many fans and critics labeled as arrogant and “cringe-worthy.” The ad, which reportedly made light of South Africa’s history of “choking” in big tournaments, backfired spectacularly as the Proteas dominated every facet of the game. Social media was flooded with fans calling the loss a reality check for the broadcasters, suggesting that the team should focus more on on-field performance than pre-match bravado. The heavy margin of defeat has now placed India at the bottom of Group 1 in the Super 8s with a damaging Net Run Rate of -3.800. The road to the semi-finals has become a high-stakes gamble, as the Men in Blue must now secure convincing victories in their upcoming matches against Zimbabwe on February 26 and the West Indies on March 1. As the team heads back to the drawing board, the focus will be on addressing the batting vulnerabilities and selection blunders that have suddenly left their title defense hanging by a thread.