Ahmedabad, February 14, 2026 –South Africa vs New Zealand: South Africa firmly established themselves as tournament heavyweights by clinicaly dismantling New Zealand in their third Group D fixture. On a surface that offered plenty of runs, the South African pace battery—spearheaded by Marco Jansen—first restricted the Black Caps to 175, before Aiden Markram’s masterclass in power-hitting made the chase look like a walk in the park.
South Africa vs New Zealand Match Overview: Markram’s Blitz and Jansen’s Thunder
South African captain Aiden Markram won the toss and elected to field, a decision that initially seemed risky as New Zealand’s openers Finn Allen and Tim Seifert raced to 27/0 in three overs. However, the introduction of Marco Jansen changed the complexion of the game. Jansen struck three times in the Powerplay, removing Seifert, Rachin Ravindra, and the dangerous Finn Allen in quick succession.
New Zealand staged a recovery through a 74-run stand between Mark Chapman (48) and Daryl Mitchell (32), but Jansen returned to break the partnership. A late surge by Jimmy Neesham helped New Zealand reach 175/7, but it was never going to be enough against a red-hot South African batting order.
In response, Quinton de Kock and Aiden Markram came out with clear intent. De Kock’s quickfire 20 included a boundary that made him the first South African to cross 3,000 T20I runs. After his departure, Markram took total control, smashing 86 off just 44 balls*, including 7 massive sixes, to seal the victory in just 17.1 overs.
Match Scorecard: Detailed Statistics
1st Innings: New Zealand Batting
| Batter | Dismissal | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s | SR |
| Tim Seifert (wk) | c de Kock b Marco Jansen | 13 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 144.44 |
| Finn Allen | c Markram b Marco Jansen | 31 | 17 | 4 | 2 | 182.35 |
| Rachin Ravindra | c Miller b Marco Jansen | 13 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 162.50 |
| Glenn Phillips | b Keshav Maharaj | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 33.33 |
| Mark Chapman | c Rickelton b Marco Jansen | 48 | 35 | 4 | 2 | 137.14 |
| Daryl Mitchell | b Lungi Ngidi | 32 | 26 | 3 | 0 | 123.07 |
| Mitchell Santner (c) | c Stubbs b Kagiso Rabada | 15 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 115.38 |
| James Neesham | not out | 12 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 171.42 |
| Matt Henry | not out | 5 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 250.00 |
| Extras | (lb 2, w 3) | 5 | – | – | – | – |
| TOTAL | (20 Overs) | 175/7 | RR: 8.75 |
South Africa Bowling Performance
| Bowler | Overs | Maidens | Runs | Wickets | Econ |
| Marco Jansen | 4.0 | 0 | 40 | 4 | 10.00 |
| Keshav Maharaj | 4.0 | 0 | 24 | 1 | 6.00 |
| Kagiso Rabada | 4.0 | 0 | 28 | 1 | 7.00 |
| Lungi Ngidi | 4.0 | 0 | 35 | 1 | 8.75 |
| Corbin Bosch | 3.0 | 0 | 22 | 0 | 7.33 |
| Aiden Markram | 1.0 | 0 | 24 | 0 | 24.00 |
2nd Innings: South Africa Batting (Target: 176)
| Batter | Dismissal | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s | SR |
| Quinton de Kock (wk) | b Lockie Ferguson | 20 | 14 | 3 | 1 | 142.85 |
| Aiden Markram (c) | not out | 86 | 44 | 5 | 7 | 195.45 |
| Ryan Rickelton | c Santner b Jacob Duffy | 25 | 16 | 2 | 2 | 156.25 |
| Dewald Brevis | c Phillips b Mitchell Santner | 15 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 115.38 |
| David Miller | not out | 18 | 15 | 2 | 0 | 120.00 |
| Extras | (w 9, lb 5) | 14 | – | – | – | – |
| TOTAL | (17.1 Overs) | 178/3 | RR: 10.37 |
New Zealand Bowling Performance
| Bowler | Overs | Maidens | Runs | Wickets | Econ |
| Lockie Ferguson | 4.0 | 0 | 28 | 1 | 7.00 |
| Mitchell Santner | 4.0 | 0 | 31 | 1 | 7.75 |
| Jacob Duffy | 3.0 | 0 | 36 | 1 | 12.00 |
| Matt Henry | 3.0 | 0 | 35 | 0 | 11.66 |
| James Neesham | 2.0 | 0 | 23 | 0 | 11.50 |
| Rachin Ravindra | 1.1 | 0 | 20 | 0 | 17.14 |
Post-Match Analysis: Key Takeaways
1. The Marco Jansen Effect
Marco Jansen was the primary difference-maker in the first innings. Despite going for 40 runs, his ability to take wickets at the top—specifically Tim Seifert and Finn Allen—prevented New Zealand from ever reaching the “par score” of 190 on this ground. His height and bounce at Ahmedabad proved too difficult for the Kiwi top order to navigate.
2. Markram’s Captain’s Knock
Aiden Markram showed why he is considered one of the most dangerous T20 batters in the world. His innings was perfectly paced; he took 10 balls to settle in and then exploded, specifically targeting the New Zealand spinners. His 19-ball fifty essentially killed the contest by the 10th over.
3. QDK’s Historic Milestone
Quinton de Kock became the first South African and only the 13th player worldwide to reach 3,000 T20I runs. His aggressive start allowed Markram to take his time initially, ensuring that the required run rate never became a factor.
4. New Zealand’s Middle-Order Struggle
While Chapman and Mitchell played well, the lack of a “big finish” cost New Zealand. Glenn Phillips’ rare failure and Mitchell Santner’s inability to accelerate meant they left at least 20 runs on the table. Against a batting lineup as deep as South Africa’s, those 20 runs were the difference between a competitive game and a blowout.
Player of the Match: Marco Jansen
For his career-best figures of 4/40, which broke the back of the New Zealand batting lineup during the Powerplay and middle overs.