New Delhi: With hundreds of fans flocking to the streets around the Arun Jaitley Stadium, lining up outside the gates on a rainy Wednesday, it was hard to guess if the crowd was for a neutral T20 World Cup game in the national capital. Fans turned up in big numbers as South Africa locked horns with UAE in an inconsequential tie in New Delhi.

Despite rain threatening the start of the play for a while and dark clouds hovering over the ground, it was a sight to behold as enthusiastic fans, of all age groups, some along with their families, tussled to gain entry into the stadium, hoping not to miss even the slightest bit of action. The love for the game in Delhi is no secret, but the stands were scarcely filled in the two neutral games that the venue hosted in the tournament previously.

Barring India’s match against Namibia, it was nearly impossible to know that the Arun Jaitley Stadium was hosting matches in the ongoing T20 World Cup. The quality of the opposition in the other two matches also didn’t help. But that wasn’t the case on Wednesday as there was no dearth of support for last edition’s finalists, South Africa, who are arguably one of the favourites for the title this year. Close to 15,000 fans turned up for the game, the highest for a neutral game in this T20 World Cup in Delhi.

The buzz was amiss as fans proudly flaunted their Proteas jerseys, chatting about the South African players and showcasing why cricket in India goes far beyond the home team. If anything, the thousands who filled the stands at the Arun Jaitely Stadium on Wednesday proved that good cricket and the attraction of a World Cup are enough to draw crowds.

Groundsmen remove covers before the start of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 cricket match between South Africa and UAE, at Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (Photo: PTI)

The love for the underdogs

Though the Proteas lovers comfortably outnumbered the neutrals, who would have made their way to the stadium hoping for a good contest, there was enough support for the underdogs UAE. As their openers, Aryansh Sharma and Muhammad Waseem, blazed their way to a rollicking start after being asked to bat first, every boundary from the batters generated loud cheers from the Delhi crowd.

After Chennai and Kolkata led the way, Delhi followed suit as fans grabbed a seat in the stands to relish a good game of cricket, irrespective of the quality of the sides and the consequences of the game. Both Eden Gardens and the Chepauk in Chennai witnessed packed crowds for neutral matches in the group stage. Though the stands at the Arun Jaitley Stadium were not entirely filled, the support for a neutral game was evident.

South Africa look to keep winning run intact, UAE battle for pride in dead rubber

It might be a dead rubber, but the game still holds significance for both South Africa and UAE. While the Proteas will be hoping to keep their winning run intact after beating New Zealand, Canada and Afghanistan in their first three group matches, UAE will be battling for pride, having already been eliminated from the tournament.

South Africa have already qualified for the Super Eight stage from Group D alongside New Zealand. UAE’s solitary win in the tournament came against Canada at the same venue last week, and the Muhammed Waseem-led side will be hoping to take inspiration from their performance in their last game in Delhi to stage a spirited show against the Proteas.