Sport has always been a great leveller. And on Sunday, 22 February in Ahmedabad, India found that out the hard way as South Africa handed them a 76-run hammering in their opening Super 8 clash at the T20 World Cup 2026.
This was not just any game. It was a rematch of the 2024 T20 World Cup final, a game that broke South African hearts in Barbados. The kind of result that stays with a team, a nation and a fanbase for a long time. A rematch of that nature needed no extra seasoning. The storyline wrote itself.
And yet, someone decided to add a little extra spice. The kind that left a bitter taste long before the toss was even made.
THE AD THAT LIT THE FUSE
Star Sports, the official broadcaster of the tournament in India, released an advertisement in the build-up to the match. On the surface, it was a playful nod to the rivalry between the two sides since the final in Barbados two years earlier.
Two fans, one Indian and one South African, reach for a cupcake, a cheeky reference to the T20 World Cup title. The South African fan gets to it first, but the Indian fan brushes it off, saying they can keep the cupcake while India will win the cup altogether.
So far, so harmless. Then came the scene that crossed the line. The South African fan is shown choking on the cupcake, a direct reference to South Africa’s history of painful exits in ICC knockout games. That was not banter. That was disrespect dressed up as entertainment.
The reaction was swift. Fans in India and abroad took to X to share their displeasure and the noise was loud enough that the advertisement was pulled down entirely.
Even JioHotstar’s X handle attempted some damage control, posting content appreciating South Africa’s game once the match was underway. A nice gesture, but it felt like too little too late. The game ended in a crushing defeat. At that point, just own it.
WHEN TALKING THE TALK IS NOT ENOUGH
Some will argue that the ad did exactly what it was intended to do, generate noise ahead of a big game. But there is a difference between noise that builds excitement and noise that hands the opposition all the motivation they need.
Indian cricket has never been short of confidence and there are moments when that confidence has been completely justified.
Think back to the Gabba Test in January 2021. Australia had not lost at that ground since 1988. The series was on the line, India were depleted and most had written them off. Then Rishabh Pant walked out and played one of the great innings in Test history to seal a famous victory. That remains one of cricket’s finest moments.
Later that same year at Lord’s, Virat Kohli set the tone ahead of a crucial session with the now famous line directed at England: “For 60 overs they should feel like hell out there.” A playful dig, yes, but one that was backed up by the players on the field. That is the difference. When the performance follows the words, it becomes folklore. When it does not, it becomes a cautionary tale.
The broadcaster forgot that crucial distinction. Confidence is earned on the field, not scripted in an advertisement.
THE REALITY CHECK INDIA NEEDED
Earlier during the pre-match press conference, Quinton de Kock had mentioned that the group had not really spoken much about the 2024 final. South Africa had seemingly moved on. But all that noise from outside could easily have resurfaced those emotions. When Aiden Markram took the wicket of Ishan Kishan, he celebrated with ferocity and aggression. So did Marco Jansen and several others out in the field. That was not the celebration of a team playing a routine game. That was a point being made.
Because South Africa turned up with a point to prove. And prove it they did. Aiden Markram’s men were clinical from the first over to the last. David Miller and Dewald Brevis rebuilt brilliantly after early wickets to post a daunting 187. India’s batting then crumbled under the weight of a climbing asking rate and a South African bowling attack that showed no mercy. The Men in Blue were bowled out well inside 20 overs, their net run rate taking a significant hit. They now need to win their remaining games just to keep their semifinal hopes alive.
It is worth stepping back here and asking a broader question of the industry. Broadcasters in India operate in an environment where cricket is not just a sport, it is a religion. The eyeballs are always there. The noise will always be generated. So why take the cheap route? Why mock an opponent’s pain when you can simply celebrate your own team’s brilliance?
Yes, India is the reigning champion. Yes, this is a talented and well-adapted side. But they are not invincible. They are not Australia, a side that has built a culture of winning over decades. They are not Real Madrid in the Champions League, turning up every year as near-certainties. India is a brilliant team with a wonderful history, still building towards that kind of consistency.
Treating them as untouchable does them no favours and sets them up for exactly the kind of fall we witnessed on Sunday.
Sport does not care about your advertisement. It does not care about your confidence or your social media engagement. It rewards preparation, discipline and respect for the game. South Africa brought all three to Ahmedabad. India’s broadcasters brought none of it.
They came for the cupcake. In the end, South Africa took the lot.
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