The T20 World Cup 2026 Super 8 stage heats up as West Indies face South Africa in Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium this Thursday. A win here locks in semifinal berths for either side, building on their strong starts—South Africa over India, West Indies over Zimbabwe.
Spotlight falls squarely on Shimron Hetmyer, West Indies’ six-hitting sensation. He’s knocking on the door of a monumental milestone. Hetmyer’s tournament has been electric, his big hits carrying the team through crunch moments.
Against Zimbabwe, he carved out 85 runs from 34 deliveries, peppering the boundary with seven sixes and as many fours. With 17 sixes already in five knocks, one more against the Proteas would crown him the outright leader for most sixes in a T20 World Cup edition.
Tied at the top with Nicholas Pooran’s 17 from 2024, Hetmyer edges ahead of Chris Gayle’s 16 (2012) and Gurbaz’s matching tally. His stats dazzle: 219 runs at 54.75 average, 185.59 strike rate, two fifties. The 29-year-old is a T20 globetrotter, starring in top leagues.
In 80 T20Is, Hetmyer has 1,564 runs from 70 innings, nine half-centuries, and 97 sixes. Hit three more here, and he’ll become West Indies’ fifth player to hit 100 T20I maximums—a feat underscoring his legacy.
This matchup promises drama. South Africa’s bowlers will target Hetmyer, but if he connects, records will shatter amid roaring crowds. West Indies bank on his firepower to propel them forward in the race for glory.