Last Updated on 2 months ago by Charbel Coorey

South Africa will be challenged by Canada in the 9th match of the ICC T20 World Cup 2026. This will be the first game for both teams in this tournament. Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad will host this game on 9th February 2026 at 7 PM IST. 

South Africa recently won the T20I series against West Indies at home. Their players are also coming off from playing the SA20 and their team is looking pretty strong as well. They have good batting depth with Corbin Bosch at 8 and their bowling is also looking good. The Proteas have all the bases covered and they’ll be confident of a winning start in the tournament. 

Canada, on the other hand, will be determined to spoil South Africa’s party. They have a good squad. The likes of Dilpreet Bajwa, Harsh Thaker, Kaleem Sana, Nicholas Kirton, and Saad Bin Zafar are the key players for Canada. 

Canada must bat well if they are to give themselves a chance of winning this match.  

ICC T20 World Cup 2026 9th Match: SA vs CAN Probable Playing XIs

South Africa: 1. Aiden Markram (c), 2. Quinton de Kock (wk), 3. Ryan Rickelton, 4. Dewald Brevis, 5. David Miller, 6. Jason Smith/Tristan Stubbs, 7. Marco Jansen, 8. Corbin Bosch, 9. Kagiso Rabada, 10. Keshav Maharaj, 11. Anirch Nortje

Canada: 1. Yuvraj Samra, 2. Dilpreet Bajwa (c), 3. Navneet Dhaliwal, 4. Nicholas Kirton, 5. Shiva Moova (wk), 6. Harsh Thaker, 7. Jaskaran Singh, 8. Saad Bin Zafar, 9. Dilon Heyliger, 10. Kaleem Sana, 11. Shivam Sharma

Narendra Modi Stadium Ahmedabad Pitch Report and Weather

Narendra Modi Stadium is a six-hitting ground with short straight boundaries but the square boundaries are on the bigger side. Traditionally there has been assistance for the pacers with the new ball, especially in the second innings under the lights. Batters can play their shots trusting the wicket. Scores in the range of 150-170 are expected. 

Teams will prefer chasing as dew will be a factor in this game. It will be a clear day at Ahmedabad with the temperature being around 24 degrees Celsius at the start of the game.

Fantasy Cricket Tips for SA vs CAN 9th Match of T20 World Cup 2025: Players to Watch/Key Stats

Top Wicket-Keeper Picks:  

• Quinton de Kock was in excellent touch in the SA20 2025-26 (390 runs, avg. 39, SR 148.85) and he also played well in the series against the West Indies. He has been in sublime form lately and will be one of the best captain picks.
• Ryan Rickelton will bat at number three. He’s another attacking batter who has a knack of scoring big runs on his day. Rickleton struck 337 in SA 2025/26 at an average of 42.12 and strike rate of 156.01 with two hundreds.

Key batter picks: 

• Dewald Brevis will bat at four for the Proteas. He hits sixes for fun and is one of the most destructive middle-order batters going around, especially against the spinners. He smashed the second-most runs in the recent SA20 (370), including a century in the final.
• Dilpreet Bajwa will open the innings for Canada and he will bowl 3-4 overs as well. He will contribute with both bat and ball which makes an ideal fantasy pick. Bajwa was in good form with the bat during the warmup matches.

Top all-rounder picks: 

• Aiden Markram will open the batting for South Africa. He has been super aggressive and has looked to attack from the first ball itself. Markram can also bowl an over or two of his off-spin. He’s another good C/VC option.
• Marco Jansen is a wicket-taker with the new ball and he can trouble Canada’s top order. He gets extra bounce due to his height which is difficult to negate. Jansen is a capable batter too. 
• Saad Bin Zafar is the lead spinner for Canada and he can contribute with the bat too. He will be a crucial player for his team, especially if the conditions aid the spinners. 
• Corbin Bosch is will bowl in the middle and death overs for South Africa and he can bat too. Bosch is someone you can’t miss on as he can pick up 2-3 wickets in this game, especially while bowling first. 

Key bowler picks: 

• Keshav Maharaj is in solid form. He’s picking up wickets without conceding many runs (12 wickets, econ. 6.52 in SA20). Maharaj will fancy his chances against Canada’s middle order and he will be a must in your fantasy teams. 
• Anrich Nortje was in top form in SA20 2025-26 (18 wickets) but he’s been a bit expensive in the warmup game against India. Nortje is looking in good rhythm and bowling at a high pace. 
• Kagiso Rabada is one of the best all-format bowlers in world cricket. He is a genuine wicket-taker and can go through Canada’s batting in this match. Do not miss out on Rabada from your fantasy teams.   

Other Players to Consider for Your Fantasy Cricket Teams

• Yuvraj Samra
• Navneet Dhaliwal
• Dilon Heyliger
• Nicholas Kirton

Other Matchups and Facts

• This will be the first T20I game between South Africa and Canada.
• Yuvraj Samra has a T20I strike rate of 194.57 when opening the batting. He opened in Canada’s two warm-up matches.

ICC T20 World Cup 2026 9th Match: SA vs CAN Dream11 Prediction Today

Note: The below teams are not based on the final playing XIs. We may not be able to update these in time. Use the stats and commentary in this article, as well as your own instincts, to create your teams.

Option 1:

Option 2:

ICC T20 World Cup 2026 9th Match: SA vs CAN Match Prediction: Who will win?

The Proteas should wint his match but considering how the previous matches have gone in the tournament, no team is to be taken lightly. Canada certainly has players that can trouble South Africa and it’ll be an interesting contest if they can perform as a team. 

South Africa to win.