South AfricaThe batting powerhouse took center stage as they demolished the Afghan bowling attack in a crucial encounter in Ahmedabad on February 11, 2026. t20 world cup 2026 Stability. The innings was defined by clinical ball-striking quinton de kock And Ryan RickeltonWhose huge partnership for the second wicket essentially eliminated the opposition team from the contest. During this important match, quinton de kock managed to eclipse a great milestone previously held AB de VilliersRewriting the history books of South African cricket. Their collective performance took the Proteas to a massive score of 187/6, providing a huge challenge to the Afghan team.
Quinton de Kock shatters AB de Villiers’ legendary Proteas record with blistering half-century against Afghanistan
In a moment that will go down in the history of South African cricket, quinton de kock officially overtaken by mythology AB de Villiers To become the country’s highest run-scorer in T20 World Cup history. Entering the match needing just a few runs to surpass the previous benchmark of 717, De Kock played a measured but authoritative innings of 59 off 41 balls, taking his tally of runs in the tournament to 737. The milestone was achieved in 29 matches, one less than the 30 matches it took de Villiers to set the original record. Beyond the total, De Kock also equaled De Villiers for most fifty-plus scores for South Africa in the competition, with both icons now tied on five.
T20 World Cup 2026: Ryan Rickelton-de Kock partnership demolishes Afghanistan attack
The decisive phase of the South African innings was a stormy 114-run partnership between de Kock and Ryan RickeltonWhich destroyed Afghanistan’s spin-heavy strategy in the middle overs. after aiden markram After falling early, Rickelton played the primary attacking role and scored his maiden T20 World Cup half-century, scoring 61 off just 28 balls. The 10th over proved to be the turning point as the pair conceded 23 runs. Noor AhmedForced the opposition into defensive mode. Whereas Rashid Khan Ultimately managing to remove both sets of batsmen in the same over, the foundation for a big score had already been laid. A late cameo ensured that South Africa took advantage of the early carnage and overall Afghanistan had to score runs at around 9.5 runs per over.
Top 5 run scorers for South Africa in T20 World Cup
| Post | player | scored runs |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | quinton de kock | 737 |
| 2 | AB de Villiers | 717 |
| 3 | JP Duminy | 568 |
| 4 | david miller | 482 |
| 5 | aiden markram | 448 |
Also read: Sri Lankan star Wanindu Hasaranga out of T20 World Cup 2026; Replacement announced
