India, Feb 23 : In a rare heated moment during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 Super 8 clash at Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad, Indian all rounder Washington Sundar and South African batter David Miller were involved in a verbal altercation, prompting umpires to step in and calm the situation.
The incident occurred after the 14th over when Tristan Stubbs took a single to mid wicket. Sundar appeared displeased with Miller for running in the rough area and leaving the crease early, leading to a complaint to the umpire and a brief exchange of words with the seasoned Proteas player. By that stage, Miller was already in control, scoring 63 runs off 35 balls before falling to Varun Chakravarthy in the 16th over.
Sundar’s performance under scrutiny
While Miller earned the Player of the Match award, Sundar struggled with both bat and ball. He bowled two overs for 17 runs without taking a wicket and later added just 11 runs off as many deliveries while batting at No.5, eventually falling to Corbin Bosch.
Strategic selection sparks debate
Sundar’s inclusion over Axar Patel raised questions. Assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate explained the plan was to use Sundar’s off spin against South Africa’s left handed batters. However, early dismissals of Quinton de Kock and Ryan Rickelton meant Sundar bowled post powerplay and could not make a major impact, while the Miller–Dewald Brevis partnership steadied the innings for South Africa.
Looking ahead: Sundar vs Zimbabwe
India may reconsider Sundar’s spot for the upcoming must-win T20I against Zimbabwe at MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai, on February 26. Historically, Sundar has taken eight wickets in five matches against Zimbabwe at an average of 11.62 and an economy rate of 5.16, while scoring 28 runs across two innings at a strike rate of 80.
The ICC is yet to confirm whether any disciplinary action will be taken under the Code of Conduct