South Africa at the Men's T20 World Cup

The South Africa national cricket team is one of the full members of the International Cricket Council (ICC), the governing body of cricket. South Africa played their first ever T20I match against New Zealand, they also hosted the inaugural T20 World Cup (then called World Twenty20) in 2007. There have been nine editions of the T20 World Cup and the team has participated in every edition.

They are yet to win a title although they came close after reaching the final in 2024, but ended up being runners-up after losing to India national cricket team.,[1] South Africa have also been semi-finalists in two editions (2009, 2014). They have an overall win–loss record of 32–16 from 49 matches.

Five different captains have led the team across nine editions of tournament, with Graeme Smith having led the team in the first three editions. Faf du Plessis and Temba Bavuma have captained South Africa in two editions while Aiden Markram and AB de Villiers have been skippers for one edition each.

AB de Villers is the leading run scorer for South Africa with 717 runs in 30 matches, while Anrich Nortje is the highest wicket taker for the team with 35 wickets in 19 matches.

T20 World Cup record

Key
Champions
Runners-up
Semi-finals
Host
Year Round Position GP W L T+W T+L NR Ab[a] Captain
2007 Super 8 5/12 5 4 1 0 0 0 0 Graeme Smith
2009 Semi-final 3/12 6 5 1 0 0 0 0 Graeme Smith
2010 Super 8 6/12 5 2 3 0 0 0 0 Graeme Smith
2012 8/12 5 2 3 0 2 0 0 AB de Villiers
2014 Semi-final 4/16 5 3 2 0 0 0 0 Faf du Plessis
2016 Super 10 5/16 4 2 2 0 0 0 0 Faf du Plessis
2021 Super 12 5/16 5 4 1 0 0 0 0 Temba Bavuma
2022 Super 12 6/16 5 2 2 0 0 1 0 Temba Bavuma
2024 Runners-up 2/20 9 8 1 0 0 0 0 Aiden Markram
2026 Qualified
Total 0 titles 9/9 49 32 16 0 0 1 0 N/a
  1. ^ Abandoned matches are not counted in the official records.

Record by opponents

Opponent M W L T+W T+L NR Ab Win % First played
 Afghanistan 4 3 0 1 0 0 0 100 2010
 Australia 2 0 2 0 0 0 0 0.00 2012
 Bangladesh 4 4 0 0 0 0 0 100 2007
 Canada 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 100 2026
 England 7 5 2 0 0 0 0 71.43 2007
 India 8 3 5 0 0 0 0 37.50 2007
   Nepal 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 100 2024
 Netherlands 3 2 1 0 0 0 0 66.67 2014
 New Zealand 6 5 1 0 0 0 0 83.33 2007
 Pakistan 4 0 4 0 0 0 0 0.00 2009
 Scotland 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 100 2009
 Sri Lanka 5 4 1 0 0 0 0 80.00 2012
 United Arab Emirates 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 100 2026
 United States 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 100 2024
 West Indies 6 5 1 0 0 0 0 83.33 2007
 Zimbabwe 3 2 0 0 0 1 0 66.67 2012
Total 57 38 17 1 0 1 0 66.67 -
Source:[2] Last Updated: 05 March 2026

Tournament results

South Africa 2007

Squad
Results
Group stage (Group A) Super 8s (Group E) Semifinal Final Overall Result
Opposition
Result
Opposition
Result
Rank Opposition
Result
Opposition
Result
Opposition
Result
Rank Opposition
Result
Opposition
Result
 West Indies
W by 8 wickets
 Bangladesh
W by 7 wickets
1  England
W by 19 runs
 New Zealand
W by 6 wickets
 India
L by 37 runs
3 Did not advance Super 8s
Source: ESPNcricinfo[3]
Scorecards

England 2009

Squad
Results
Group stage (Group D) Super 8s (Group E) Semifinal Final Overall Result
Opposition
Result
Opposition
Result
Rank Opposition
Result
Opposition
Result
Opposition
Result
Rank Opposition
Result
Opposition
Result
 Scotland
W by 130 runs
 New Zealand
W by 1 run
1  England
W by 7 wickets
 West Indies
W by 20 runs
 India
W by 12 runs
1  Pakistan
L by 7 runs
Did not advance Semi finals
Source: ESPNcricinfo[4]
Scorecards

West Indies 2010

Squad
Results
Group stage (Group C) Super 8s (Group E) Semifinal Final Overall Result
Opposition
Result
Opposition
Result
Rank Opposition
Result
Opposition
Result
Opposition
Result
Rank Opposition
Result
Opposition
Result
 India
L by 14 runs
 Afghanistan
W by 59 runs
2  New Zealand
W by 13 runs
 England
L by 39 runs
 Pakistan
L by 11 runs
4 Did not advance Super 8s
Source: ESPNcricinfo[5]
Scorecards

Sri Lanka 2012

Squad
Results
Group stage (Group C) Super 8s (Group F) Semifinal Final Overall Result
Opposition
Result
Opposition
Result
Rank Opposition
Result
Opposition
Result
Opposition
Result
Rank Opposition
Result
Opposition
Result
 Zimbabwe
W by 10 wickets
 Sri Lanka
W by 32 runs
2  Pakistan
Lby 2 wickets
 Australia
L by 8 wickets
 India
L by 1 run
4 Did not advance Super 8s
Source: ESPNcricinfo[6]
Scorecards

Bangladesh 2014

Squad
Results
Super 10 (Group 1) Semifinal Final Overall Result
Opposition
Result
Opposition
Result
Opposition
Result
Opposition
Result
Rank Opposition
Result
Opposition
Result
 Sri Lanka
L by 5 runs
 New Zealand
W by 2 runs
 Netherlands
W by 6 runs
 England
W by 3 runs
2  India
L by 6 wickets
Did not advance Semi finals
Source: ESPNcricinfo[7]
Scorecards

India 2016

Squad
Results
Super 10 (Group 2) Semifinal Final Overall Result
Opposition
Result
Opposition
Result
Opposition
Result
Opposition
Result
Rank Opposition
Result
Opposition
Result
 England
L by 2 wickets
 Afghanistan
W by 37 runs
 West Indies
L by 3 wickets
 Sri Lanka
W by 8 wickets
3 Did not advance Super 10
Source: ESPNcricinfo[8]
Scorecards

Oman & UAE 2021

Squad and kit

First kit

Second kit

Results
Super 12 (Group 1) Semifinal Final Overall Result
Opposition
Result
Opposition
Result
Opposition
Result
Opposition
Result
Opposition
Result
Rank Opposition
Result
Opposition
Result
 Australia
L by 5 wickets
 West Indies
W by 8 wickets
 Sri Lanka
W by 4 wickets
 Bangladesh
W by 6 wickets
 England
W by 10 runs
3 Did not advance Super 12
Source: ESPNcricinfo[12]
Scorecards

Australia 2022

Squad and kit

2022 kit

Results
Super 12 (Group 2) Semifinal Final Overall Result
Opposition
Result
Opposition
Result
Opposition
Result
Opposition
Result
Opposition
Result
Rank Opposition
Result
Opposition
Result
 Zimbabwe
No result
 Bangladesh
W by 104 runs
 India
W by 5 wickets
 Pakistan
L by 33 runs (DLS)
 Netherlands
L by 13 runs
3 Did not advance Super 12
Source: ESPNcricinfo[15]
Scorecards

United States & West Indies 2024

Squad and kit

2024 kit

Results
Group stage (Group D) Super 8 (Group 2) Semifinal Final Overall Result
Opposition
Result
Opposition
Result
Opposition
Result
Opposition
Result
Rank Opposition
Result
Opposition
Result
Opposition
Result
Rank Opposition
Result
Opposition
Result
 Sri Lanka
W by 6 wickets
 Netherlands
W by 4 wickets
 Bangladesh
W by 4 runs
   Nepal
W by 1 run
1  United States
W by 18 runs
 England
W by 7 runs
 West Indies
W by 3 wickets (DLS)
1  Afghanistan
W by 9 wickets
 India
L by 7 runs
Runners-up
Source: ESPNcricinfo[16]
Scorecards

India & Sri Lanka 2026

Squad and kit

2026 kit

Results
Group stage (Group D) Super 8 Semifinal Final Overall Result
Opposition
Result
Opposition
Result
Opposition
Result
Opposition
Result
Rank Opposition
Result
Opposition
Result
Opposition
Result
Rank Opposition
Result
Opposition
Result
 Canada
W by 57 runs
 Afghanistan
Tied (W the 2nd S/O)
 New Zealand
W by 7 wickets
 United Arab Emirates
W by 6 wickets
1  India
22 Feb
 West Indies
26 Feb
 Zimbabwe
1 March
TBD To be decided
Source: ESPNcricinfo
Scorecards

Records and statistics

Team records

Highest innings totals
Score Opponent Venue Season
229/4 (20 overs)  England Mumbai 2016
211/5 (20 overs)  Scotland The Oval 2009
209/5 (20 overs)  Afghanistan Mumbai 2016
208/2 (17.4 overs)  West Indies Johannesburg 2007
205/5 (20 overs)  Bangladesh Sydney 2022
Last updated: 29 June 2024[30]

Most appearances

This list consists players with most number of matches at the T20 World Cup.

Matches Player Period
35 Quinton de Kock 2014-2026
34 David Miller 2014-2026
30 AB de Villiers 2007-2016
29 Kagiso Rabada 2016-2026
27 Aiden Markram 2021-2026
Last updated: 04 March 2026[31]

Batting statistics

Most runs
Runs Player Mat Inn HS Avg 100s 50s Period
717 AB de Villiers 30 29 79* 29.87 N/a 5 2007–2016
653 Quinton de Kock 27 27 74 25.11 N/a 4 2014–2024
568 JP Duminy 25 23 86* 40.57 N/a 2 2007–2016
433 Jacques Kallis 15 13 73 36.08 N/a 3 2009–2012
423 David Miller 27 22 59* 30.21 N/a 2 2014–2024
Last updated: 29 June 2024[32]
Highest partnerships
Runs Players Opposition Venue Season
168 (2nd wicket) Rilee Rossouw (96) & Quinton de Kock (63) v  Bangladesh Sydney 2022
120* (3rd wicket) Justin Kemp (46*) & Herschelle Gibbs (63*) v  West Indies Johannesburg 2007
110 (2nd wicket) Quinton de Kock (70) & Aiden Markram (36) v  United States North Sound 2024
103* (3rd wicket) Rassie van der Dussen (49) & Aiden Markram (52) v  England Sharjah 2021
97 (2nd wicket) Graeme Smith (36) & Jacques Kallis (59) v  India Gros Islet 2010
Last updated: 29 June 2024[33]

Bowling statistics

Most wickets
Wickets Player Matches Avg. Econ. BBI 4W 5W Period
35 Anrich Nortje 19 11.40 5.55 4/7 3 0 2021–2024
30 Dale Steyn 23 19.30 6.96 4/17 1 0 2009–2016
28 Kagiso Rabada 22 22.35 8.06 3/18 0 0 2016–2024
24 Morne Morkel 17 18.83 7.21 4/17 2 0 2007–2014
23 Tabraiz Shamsi 12 13.26 6.95 4/19 1 0 2021–2024
Last updated: 29 June 2024[34]

References

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