The T20 World Cup 2026 heated up in Ahmedabad as South Africa clashed with Afghanistan in Group D at Narendra Modi Stadium. Opting to field, Afghanistan saw South Africa post a competitive 187 for 6 in a innings marked by resilience and late fireworks.
A shaky start saw captain Aiden Markram out for 5 off 8 to Fazalhaq Farooqi, scorecard reading 12/1. Quinton de Kock and Ryan Rickelton then took charge, compiling a dominant 114-run stand off 61 balls that dictated terms.
Rickelton’s explosive 61 (28 balls: 4×6, 5×4) set the tone for aggressive cricket, while de Kock’s composed 59 (41 balls: 3×6, 5×4) anchored the innings. Rashid Khan broke through dramatically in over 13, bagging both in consecutive strikes to spark hopes of a containment.
Dewald Brevis added 23 (19 balls) with a six and four, but Tristan Stubbs’ 1 exposed vulnerabilities. David Miller (20 off 15) and Marco Jansen (16 off 7) responded with power-hitting, ensuring the total crossed 180 – a strong platform in T20s.
Standout bowler Azmatullah Omarzai grabbed 3/41, Rashid shone with 2/28, and Farooqi 1/32. Afghanistan’s chase of 188 now tests their batting depth against South Africa’s world-class attack. With points on the line, this game is poised for edge-of-the-seat action.