After humiliating loss, Suryakumar Yadav promises: 'We'll come back stronger'
Times of India
by TOI SPORTS DESKFebruary 22, 2026
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Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav vowed a stronger comeback after India suffered a heavy 76-run loss to South Africa in their Group 1 Super Eights clash of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. Despite starting strong with an early score of 21 for 3, India struggled to maintain momentum and lost too many wickets during the powerplay, ultimately being bowled out for 111 in 18.5 overs. Surya acknowledged his team's bowling efforts but emphasized the need for improvement in batting partnerships while chasing a target of 180-185.
South Africa dominated the match with a strong batting performance, led by David Miller’s 63 off 35 balls and Dewald Brevis’ 45 off 29 balls. Their fourth-wicket partnership of 97 runs in just 51 balls was pivotal to their score of 187/7. The Proteas' bowlers, including Marco Jansen (4/22), Keshav Maharaj (3/24), and Corbin Bosch (2/12), tightened the screws, while Lungi Ngidi's tight four overs added to India’s woes. Surya praised the performance of his bowlers, particularly Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh, who combined for five wickets in eight overs, but noted that the batting collapse was a key factor in the defeat.
India’s reply faltered from the start, with Ishan Kishan falling for a duck and Abhishek Sharma (15) and Tilak Varma (1) dismissed early. Shivam Dube top-scored with 42, and Hardik Pandya contributed 18, but the team failed to build consistent partnerships, ultimately finishing well below the required target. Surya remained optimistic, pledging that India would learn from the experience and return stronger in their next matches against Zimbabwe
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Originally published on Times of India on 2/22/2026