IND vs SA: Why did Axar Patel miss T20 World Cup 2026 match 43?
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Axar Patel has played three games in the T20 World Cup 2026 so far.
India and South Africa are squaring off in their opening game of the Super 8 round in the T20 World Cup 2026. The IND vs SA is the 43rd game of the tournament and the third game of the Super 8 round, which got underway at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday, February 22.
India were undefeated in the league stage, having won four back-to-back games. The Indian team outplayed the USA, Namibia, Pakistan, and the Netherlands. With eight points in the kitty, they bagged the top spot in the Group A points table.
Also Read: IND vs SA: Who is India’s vice-captain in Axar Patel’s absence for T20 World Cup 2026 Super 8 clash?
South Africa were part of Group C in the league stage and topped their pool with eight points by winning four games in a row. They outplayed Canada, Afghanistan, New Zealand, and the UAE. They won all of their games by huge margins except for the clash against Afghanistan, which observed double Super Overs.
In the IND vs SA clash of the T20 World Cup 2026, South Africa captain Aiden Markram won the toss and opted to bat first. They made four changes to the playing XI.
On the other hand, Suryakumar Yadav informed that they have made no changes to their playing XI. Hence, fans were quite surprised as they expected Axar Patel to return in the clash.
Why is Axar Patel not playing against South Africa?
While Suryakumar did not mention the exact reason for Patel’s ouster from the encounter, it looks like he has been overlooked for the game. Surya admitted that it was a harsh decision for the Indian all-rounder. He also reckoned that the same playing XI was a tactical decision of the management.
Although Axar Patel is the vice-captain of India in the T20 World Cup 2026, he has struggled to make a mark with the bat. He scored 14 runs in the clash against the USA, but later grabbed ducks in the clash against Namibia and Pakistan.
However, he performed consistently well with the ball, taking two wickets in all three matches. Notably, Washington Sundar was picked over Axar in the previous clash against the Netherlands.
Revealing the changes in the playing XI, the Indian captain said: “The pitch looks quite similar to the previous black soil surface we played on, just one strip away, not too much change. We’re happy to bowl first. It’s very harsh on Axar Patel, but we’re going with the same team – just a tactical decision, so no changes from the last game”.
India (Playing XI): Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan(w), Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav(c), Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Rinku Singh, Washington Sundar, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakaravarthy.
South Africa (Playing XI): Aiden Markram(c), Quinton de Kock(w), Ryan Rickelton, Dewald Brevis, David Miller, Tristan Stubbs, Marco Jansen, Corbin Bosch, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi.
What is the venue of the IND vs SA Super 8 match of the T20 World Cup 2026?
The venue of the match is Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
Is Axar Patel part of India’s playing XI vs South Africa?
No, Axar Patel is not part of India’s playing XI against South Africa.
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Vikas Singh Derek is a core cricket-lover since childhood and has always followed the sport both in his personal and professional life. He started his school life by watching cricket at home with family. Later, he played cricket on the field at local clubs during college. After his Master's in Journalism from Mumbai, he followed his passion by covering cricket news across various digital media. Since 2015, he has been an aspiring sports journalist and cricket content writer with over 50K+ articles.