SA Not Fixated On Individuals Ahead Of India Super 8 Test

South Africa say Ahmedabad familiarity and recent India series help preparation for T20 World Cup 2026 Super 8 clash.

South Africa batting coach Ashwell Prince said that having played in Ahmedabad helps the team in planning and preparing against the Men in Blue ahead of their T20 World Cup 2026 Super 8 clash on Sunday.

South Africa played three of their four T20 WC 2026 group-stage matches in Ahmedabad, winning them all.

"The fact that we played here early in the group stages of the tournament, I think that helps. The more matches you play at particular ground, you get familiar with your surroundings. I think that helped us a lot," he said while speaking to ANI.

South Africa played a five-match T20I series against India in December last year which the hosts won 3-1, with one match being abandoned due to rain.

"Having played India in a five-match series, one rained out, which ended up being four matches. We know a lot about them. They know a lot about us, obviously. But sometimes in your planning and in your preparation, when you've played the opposition and you kind of know what to expect, you know, it gives you a better idea of what to face. So, I think that helps," the Proteas batting coach said.

Prince also said that India have a strong batting line-up, including players like Abhishek Sharma and Ishan Kishan, but his team aren't focusing on any one individual.

"You've got (Abhishek) Sharma, you've got Ishan Kishan and you've got a whole line-up of players. For us, we're not focusing on one individual. India have a strong team, we've got to focus on the whole team. We've got to try and find places where we can apply some pressure on them and hopefully take some wickets, force some mistakes. Hopefully score one more run than them. Yeah, I think it would be a good battle," he said.

Pressure is a big thing, it's both for them and us: Shukri Conrad

South Africa head coach Shukri Conrad said his team is entering the next stage with confidence after successfully navigating the group stages.

"The first half of the group stages was the anxious bit for me. This is now the excitement," Conrad said.

"Tournament cricket almost has three parts to it. You've got to find a way of just getting out of that group stage. So we did that. Now you look, and you say, right, we've got India first up, and then the West Indies with some of the most entertaining players in the world, and that excites me."

Conrad also addressed the role of pressure in big matches, noting that it affects both sides.

"Pressure is a big thing, but it's pressure both for them and us. I think we all talk about the pressure of playing against the top side, but we're not quite aware of what the pressures they are under," he said.

"I'm not, for one, suggesting that a guy who has three ducks in his last three matches comes under pressure for his place in his side. No," he remarked.

The player Conrad is referring to is Abhishek Sharma, who has not scored a run and also missed India's second match of the tournament through illness.

Conrad dismissed the overemphasis on individual player "match-ups" ahead of the team's Super Eight T20 World Cup clash against the defending champions

"The match-ups can be overstated. I'm not a big fan of it," Conrad said.

"Sometimes the wickets are so good that it takes the match-ups out of the equation. If there's something in the wicket and there's a little bit of spin, then the match-up could be there for the off-spinner against the left-hander. Maybe the angle you create sometimes. By and large, I think it's slightly overstated on really good batting wickets."