India's spin power not a threat to South Africa: Neil McKenzie ahead of Super 8 clash

T20 World Cup: Neil McKenzie believes India's spin attack will not automatically trouble South Africa in the Super 8 clash. The former Proteas batter feels match-ups and execution will matter more than variety in Ahmedabad.

India’s spin attack has been one of the standout features of their T20 World Cup 2026 campaign so far. But former South Africa batter Neil McKenzie does not believe that alone will tilt the Super 8 contest in India’s favour.

Ahead of the high-stakes clash between the 2024 finalists in Ahmedabad, McKenzie acknowledged the quality in India’s spin ranks. However, he insisted that the Proteas have enough resources to neutralise that threat if they execute their plans properly.

Speaking to The Indian Express, McKenzie pointed out that while India might have greater variety in their spin department, that does not automatically translate into dominance.

"Where India is slightly ahead of South Africa is that they’ve got a lot more variation in the spin department. But I don’t see that as being huge. It’s obviously a huge positive because you have all the variations, but it’s how you deploy them."

He also emphasised on South Africa’s ability to counter India’s left-handed batters and manage match-ups smartly.

"Markram is more than a useful off-spinner. Also, with the left-handers, you’ve got Lungi Ngidi who can bowl in the up front one or two, and then in the middle, and the one at the back end. And his favourite ball is the slow ball into the wicket. So he is basically taking away from the left-handers as well. So they have got a lot of tools that they can use," he added.