Tension builds in Ahmedabad for the T20 World Cup 2026 Super 8 showdown between South Africa and West Indies at Narendra Modi Stadium on Thursday. Victory means semifinal certainty, following South Africa’s triumph over India and West Indies’ routing of Zimbabwe.
West Indies’ Shimron Hetmyer emerges as the marquee attraction, teetering on the edge of immortality. His explosive contributions have lit up the tournament, turning games with raw power.
Hetmyer’s 85 off 34 against Zimbabwe—seven sixes, seven fours—set the tone. Now with 17 maximums in five innings, a single six versus South Africa vaults him past all challengers for the edition’s sixes crown.
Level with Pooran’s 17 (2024), he leads Gayle (16, 2012) and Gurbaz (16, 2024). Impressively, Hetmyer averages 54.75 with a 185.59 strike rate, 219 runs, two fifties. A T20 elite, he thrives in global leagues.
Across 70 T20I innings in 80 matches, 1,564 runs, nine fifties, 97 sixes define his international career. Three more sixes make him West Indies’ fifth centurion in T20I maximums.
Strategists watch closely: Can South Africa contain him? Hetmyer’s form suggests a potential onslaught, blending personal glory with team ambition. This could be the defining moment of his World Cup.