T20 WORLD CUP | Bosch, Nortje star in South Africa’s easy win

On a day of intermittent showers in the national capital on Wednesday, there was an air of inevitability about the proceedings at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. Such was the commanding nature of South Africa’s six-wicket win against the United Arab Emirates in the T20 World Cup Group-D contest. After Muhammad Waseem’s side was curtailed to 122 for six, the Proteas took 13.2 overs to knock off the target.

For the South Africans, who head into the Super Eight stage with four wins, Corbin Bosch (4-0-12-3) and Anrich Nortje (4-0-28-2) essayed pivotal roles with the ball. Aiden Markram, Ryan Rickleton and Dewald Brevis followed up with cameos in the chase.

South Africa’s Anrich Arno Nortje in action during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 match against United Arab Emirates at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi on Wednesday, February 18, 2026.
| Photo Credit:
SHIV KUMAR PUSHPAKAR

Under overcast skies, South Africa’s decision to bowl first was a no-brainer. More than the help on offer for the seamers, the possibility of a rain-truncated affair and the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method (DLS) coming into the calculation must have loomed large on Markram’s mind.

The UAE innings began with Waseem on the attack. In the third over, he thumped Kagiso Rabada for a hat-trick of boundaries. Rabada’s frustration grew when Quinton de Kock shelled a top-edged pull from Aryansh Sharma in the same over.

But once Waseem’s ungainly swipe across the line off George Linde resulted in a leg-before dismissal in the fifth over, the men in vibrant yellow and green applied the squeeze. Bosch got the better of Aryansh in the next over.

While Alishan Sharafu came up with a steady 38-ball 45 at No. 3, the middle-order couldn’t chip in. In the 10th over, the in-form Sohaib Khan was undone by Bosch’s back-of-a-length delivery in the corridor outside off-stump.

South Africa’s Aiden Markram plays a shot during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 match against United Arab Emirates at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi on Wednesday, February 18, 2026.
| Photo Credit:
SHIV KUMAR PUSHPAKAR

Sharafu’s knock came to an end in the 18th over. He backed away against Nortje, but the speedster directed a short ball at his body. With Sharafu not in control, Kwana Maphaka did the rest at midwicket.

The scores: United Arab Emirates 122/6 in 20 overs (Alishan Sharafu 45, Anrich Nortje 2/28, Corbin Bosch 3/12) lost to South Africa 123/4 in 13.2 overs (Ryan Rickleton 30, Dewald Brevis 36). Toss: South Africa; PoM: Bosch.