Ahmedabad, Feb 9 (NationPress) Canada secured the toss and opted to bowl first against South Africa in the ninth match of Group D during the T20 World Cup 2026, held at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

Captain Dilpreet Bajwa expressed, "We have chosen to bowl first. The team is more excited than nervous. Facing South Africa, the runners-up from the last World Cup, presents a significant challenge. Everyone is thrilled to be playing at this venue and is looking forward to this evening match. The pitch appears to be favorable for batting, but given the conditions and potential dew later on, we opted to bowl first. We will see how it unfolds.

“Our preparations have been solid. Due to weather conditions back in Canada, we couldn't practice as much, but our board facilitated a pre-tour in Sri Lanka where we played several useful practice matches, including one against Sri Lanka A, which greatly benefited our World Cup readiness.

“We have selected a well-rounded bowling attack consisting of three fast bowlers and several spin options. The seamers include Kaleem Sana and Dilon Heyliger, while in spin we have Saad Bin Zafar as a left-arm spinner, Ansh Patel as a wrist-spinner, and myself.

“This experience is invaluable for our players. Many have participated in the GT20 league, giving them the chance to compete alongside renowned international players. However, the World Cup is a much larger platform, offering them an excellent opportunity to showcase their talents globally.”

South Africa's captain Aiden Markram commented, "The surface seems promising. We aim to start strong with the bat, set a solid score, and carry that momentum into our bowling.

“We feel fortunate regarding the draw. This venue is fantastic for playing. We're eager to start strong in Ahmedabad and seize the opportunity.

“It's a significant advantage. While people may have opinions about white-ball pitches, they can differ from one continent to another. This doesn't imply they are inferior pitches; they are just unique. We’re lucky to have played considerable cricket in the subcontinent recently.

“Our long-term goal remains to earn a spot in the Super 8s and aim for the knockout stages. However, currently, our focus is on performing well in the group phase.

“Tristan Stubbs batting at no. 6 was one of our considerations. We are fielding four seamers: Lungi (Ngidi), KG (Rabada), Corbin Bosch, and Marco (Jansen) alongside Kesh (Keshav Maharaj) as our spinner."

Playing XIs:

Canada: Yuvraj Samra, Dilpreet Bajwa (c), Navneet Dhaliwal, Nicholas Kirton, Shreyas Movva (wk), Harsh Thaker, Saad Bin Zafar, Jaskaran Singh Buttar, Dilon Heyliger, Kaleem Sana, Ansh Patel

South Africa: Aiden Markram (c), Quinton de Kock (wk), Ryan Rickelton, Dewald Brevis, David Miller, Tristan Stubbs, Marco Jansen, Corbin Bosch, Kagiso Rabada, Keshav Maharaj, Lungi Ngidi