Shukri Conrad Confident South Africa Can Exploit India Under Pressure

South Africa head coach Shukri Conrad believes his team can challenge India by exploiting their weaknesses under pressure. After playing strongly in the first round, he is excited for the Super Eights stage of the ICC T20 World Cup 2026, which will feature several high-profile matches between top sides.

"The first half of the group stages was the anxious bit for me. This is now the excitement. Tournament cricket almost has three parts to it. You've got to find a way of just getting out of that group stage.” said South Africa head coach, Shukri Conrad.

“So we did that. Now you look and you say, right, we've got India first up and then the West Indies with some of the most entertaining players in the world and that excites me." added Shukri Conrad.

He then spoke about the impact of pressure, saying that it is a big factor that can make even favorites vulnerable during the high-stakes matches.

"Pressure is a big thing but it's pressure both for us and them. I think we all talk about the pressure of playing against the top side, but we're not quite aware of what the pressures they are under. I'm not, for one, suggesting that a guy that has three ducks in his last three matches comes under pressure for his place in his side. No." said Shukri Conrad.

Conrad then explained why teams aren’t able to post big scores in the ICC T20 World Cup 2026, despite their pre-tournament confidence. He said the pressure of the tournament doesn’t allow players to play freely, as there is a lot at stake.

"Prior to the World Cup, people were talking of scoring 300 plusses and all sorts of things but generally with World Cups there is a lot more at stake. In bilaterals, guys come in and they play with a lot more gay abandon but World Cups bring a decidedly different type of pressure." said Shukri Conrad.