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 |
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 |
| Quinton de Kock | South Africa | 14 | 16 | 3 | 0 |
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-winning spell of 3 for 12. He hit hard lengths, rushed the batters, and removed key wickets to stop the 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 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.
