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4 min readNew DelhiFeb 18, 2026 05:37 PM IST
United Arab Emirates' Dhruv Parashar plays a shot during the T20 World Cup cricket match between South Africa and United Arab Emirates in New Delhi, India, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)
South Africa had come into their final group encounter with a perfect record, and the UAE were never expected to stop them from maintaining that streak. And under overcast skies and a bit of unseasonal rain in the Capital, the Proteas prepared for their Super Eight encounter against favourites India with a six-wicket shellacking of the underdogs at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Wednesday.
The conditions for the morning game, and the pace and bounce in the South African attack – even though Lungi Ngidi and Marco Jansen were rested – was something the UAE team had rarely faced before. So, despite a decent start which took them to 36 for no loss after four overs, they could manage only 122/6 in their allotted 20 overs, a total that was overhauled in just 13.2 overs.
“We have faced Haris Rauf and Shaheen Shah Afridi, and other fast bowlers, especially at last year’s Asia Cup. But in the South African team, no pacer bowls slower than 140-145 km per hour. That took some getting used to,” UAE all-rounder Dhruv Parashar said.
“Even while facing a top side like New Zealand, you can target a bowler of less pace like Jimmy Neesham. There’s no such opportunity against this team,” the 21-year-old born in Pune added.
The Proteas pacemen didn’t make things any easier for the opposition and after a hectic start, relied on pace and bounce to test the UAE batters on the backfoot. The players representing the Gulf nation were often beaten for pace and their batters were hit on the helmet on more than one occasion. The run rate nosedived as a result and hovered around six an over for the rest of the innings. Corbin Bosch was the pick of the bowlers, snaring three victims for 12 runs in his four overs.
Rabada targetted
On the other hand, pace spearhead Kagiso Rabada – who bowled a nightmarish final over in the double Super Over win against Afghanistan, couldn’t buy a trick. He was targeted by UAE openers Muhammad Waseem and Aryansh Sharma. Even miscued shots landed in gaps while wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock’s drop off Aryansh was one of the four chances missed by Aiden Markram’s side, a rare off-day in the field for them.
David Miller and Keshav Maharaj were also rested for the game and the latter did his prospects no harm by exerting control inside the Powerplay and ending with figures of 1/17 in four overs.
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Alishan Sharafu was the highest scorer for the UAE with a 38-ball 45.
A target of 124 was never going to test the Proteas and Markram effectively settled the game inside three overs with an 11-ball 28. The five fours and a six ensured that the rest of the batting line-up had nothing much left to do. Ryan Rickeleton (30 off 16 balls) and Dewald Brevis (36 off 25) warmed up for the next phase of competition with some centre-wicket practice. Every batter aimed for the stands, rather than getting some red ink against their name, which handed the UAE bowlers some wickets that didn’t matter in the context of the game.
Brief Scores: UAE 122/6 in 20 overs (Alishan Sharafu 45; Bosch 3/12) lost to South Africa 123/4 in 13.2 overs (Brevis 36, Rickelton 30, Markram 28) by six wickets.
Tushar Bhaduri is a highly experienced sports journalist with The Indian Express, based in Delhi. He has been a journalist for 25 years, with 20 of those dedicated to sports reporting. Professional Background Expertise: Tushar writes on a wide variety of sports, focusing on the "bigger picture" and identifying underlying trends that impact the sporting world. Experience: He has covered numerous major global sporting events over his long career. Writing Style: He is known for providing analytical depth, often exploring governance, sportsmanship, and tactical evolutions in games like cricket, golf, and hockey. Recent Notable Articles (2025) His recent work highlights his diverse interests, ranging from the business of golf to major international cricket tournaments: Golf and Athlete Ventures: "In turf battle of golf leagues, Kapil Dev and Yuvraj Singh in opposite camps" (Dec 11, 2025) — A piece on the rivalry between new golf leagues promoted by Indian cricket legends. "Golf's glittering stars in India: Rory McIlroy, Tommy Fleetwood... battle for $4million prize" (Oct 14, 2025) — Coverage of the biggest-ever golf tournament in India. Cricket and World Cups: "How rains in Colombo helped India stay alive in the ICC Women's World Cup" (Oct 22, 2025). "Champions Trophy: How Glenn Maxwell brain-fade proved costly" (Mar 4, 2025) — Analysis of a critical turning point in the IND vs AUS match. "IPL 2025 Qualifier 1: In PBKS and RCB, the league's underachievers look to take one step closer" (May 28, 2025). Thought Pieces and Policy: "Sportsmanship is going out of fashion" (Oct 8, 2025) — An editorial on the blurring lines between passion and provocation across various sports like chess, golf, and cricket. "Can the Italian Open really become the fifth Grand Slam in tennis?" (May 20, 2024). Olympic Sports: "Paris Olympics hockey: Why the defeat to Belgium ushers in hope and optimism for India" (Aug 1, 2024). Topics of Interest Tushar frequently writes about IPL strategy, ICC tournament planning, and profiles of rising stars like Vaibhav Suryavanshi. He also maintains a keen interest in historical sports narratives, such as the legacy of Dhyan Chand. ... Read More
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