South Africa ready to face afghanistan in the 13th match of ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 At the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, both teams are entering the contest with very different starts to their campaigns. While South Africa started their tournament on a strong note, Afghanistan will be keen to bounce back after the initial shock. With important points at stake, both sides know the importance of delivering a strong performance to keep their World Cup ambitions on track.
The Proteas looked in good form in their opening game against Canada. Recorded a spectacular victory by 57 runs. Their batting lineup combined to score 213/4, which proved too much for the opposition. That all-round performance got South Africa off to an excellent start and underlined their depth and balance. Under the leadership of Aiden Markram, they will be keen to carry that momentum forward, especially with challenging fixtures against Afghanistan and New Zealand fast approaching.
Afghanistan, on the other hand, suffered a five-wicket defeat against New Zealand in their first match, but the result does not tell the whole story. Their batsmen showed commendable intent and confidence as they delivered a competitive performance that day. However, the bowling attack struggled to maintain control at crucial moments and will look to keep things on firm foot in this clash. Despite the defeat, Afghanistan can be encouraged by the positive mindset they displayed, and they will aim to translate that belief into a stronger, more complete performance against South Africa.
SA vs AFG, T20 World Cup 2026: Match Details
- date and time: 11 February; 11:00am IST / 5:30am GMT
- venue: Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad
SA vs AFG, head-to-head record in T20Is
Matches played: 03 | South Africa won: 03 | Afghanistan won: 0
Narendra Modi Stadium Pitch Report
The Narendra Modi Stadium has earned a reputation for hosting high-scoring matches, with conditions largely favoring the batsmen. The pitch generally provides good pace and bounce, allowing the ball to come cleanly onto the bat and encouraging fluent stroke-play. This gives the batsmen the confidence to play their shots freely, making the powerplay an important phase for teams looking to build a strong platform and score big.
He said, fast bowlers are not completely out of the game in the beginning itself. With a new surface and a new ball, there is often some movement and the onus continues, rewarding bowlers who maintain discipline and vary their pace intelligently. However, as the match progresses, the pitch becomes slower, allowing the spinners to come into play. The ball tends to grip more, which makes timing a little more difficult, especially in the middle overs.
squads
South Africa: Quinton de Kock (wk), Aiden Markram (c), Ryan Rickelton, Dewald Brewis, David Miller, Jason Smith, Marco Johnson, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje, Lungi Ngidi, Corbin Bosch, George Linde, Tristan Stubbs, Kwena Mafaka.
Afghanistan: Rashid Khan (captain), Noor Ahmed, Abdullah Ahmedzai, Sediqullah Atal, Fazalhaq Farooqui, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Naveen Ul Haq, Mohammad Ishaq, Shahidullah Kamal, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Azmatullah Umarzai, Mujeeb Ur Rehman, Darwish Rasooli, Ibrahim Zadran.
Also read: Mayanti Langer, Laura McGoldrick to Grace Hayden: Complete list of T20 World Cup 2026 presenters
South Africa vs AFG, T20 World Cup 2026: Today Match Prediction
Case 1:
- South Africa won the toss and batted first
- South Africa’s powerplay score: 50-60 (6 overs)
- South Africa’s total score: 170-180
Case 2:
- Afghanistan won the toss and batted first
- Afghanistan’s powerplay score: 40-50 (6 overs)
- Afghanistan’s total score: 150-160
Match Result: South Africa will win the match.
Also read: ICC confirms whether Pakistan will play against India in T20 World Cup 2026
