Ngidi, Markram Power South Africa to Dominant Win Over Canada in ICC T20 World Cup 2026

South Africa defeated Canada in a commanding fashion to kickstart their ICC T20 World Cup 2026 in style. The Proteas won the match by 57 runs, as Lungi Ngidi was named Player of the Match for taking 4 wickets in the second innings.

Batting first, South Africa started the match on a high note, as both Aiden Markram and Quinton de Kock played positively in the first six overs. The striking of Markram was especially breathtaking, as he took advantage of the Powerplay to play shots all around the ground.

After the dismissal of de Kock, Aiden Markram and Ryan Rickelton built a solid partnership that gave the South African innings a strong impetus. Markram then lost his wicket after scoring a brilliant fifty, hitting 10 fours and a six.

The experienced David Miller then showcased his batting firepower in the final part of the innings, as he scored 39 off just 23 balls to help South Africa post a big total of 213 on the board. His partner Tristan Stubbs was also outstanding, as he played a quick cameo of 34 runs with the help of 2 fours and 2 sixes.

When Canada came out to chase the target, they showcased poor batting performance throughout the innings. The openers were sent back to the pavilion cheaply, giving South Africa a huge edge in the match. Besides Navneet Dhaliwal, no batter managed to put up any fight as Lungi Ngidi and other bowlers kept taking wickets in the middle overs.

As a result, Canada didn’t get the momentum to lift the scoring rate, which allowed the Proteas to control the game. They restricted Canada to just 156 runs, securing a big 57-run victory in the end. Lungi Ngidi was awarded Player of the Match, as his bowling performance in the second innings helped South Africa to defend the target comfortably.