T20 World Cup 2026: Afghanistan Choose to Field First Against South Africa
Rashid Khan chooses to field on a fresh Ahmedabad pitch as Proteas aim to maintain unbeaten record.
South Africa, Feb 11 : Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan won the toss and elected to bowl first against South Africa in a high-stakes Group D fixture of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Wednesday.
South Africa entered the contest with momentum after registering a dominant 57-run victory over Canada in their opener, a result that placed them at the top of the group standings. Afghanistan, however, faced mounting pressure following a defeat to New Zealand, making this encounter critical for their chances of progressing to the Super Eight stage.
The Proteas also held a psychological edge, having won all three previous T20 International meetings between the sides. Their most emphatic triumph came in the 2024 World Cup semi-final, where Afghanistan were dismissed for just 56.
Captains’ views
Explaining the decision at the toss, Rashid said the surface looked fresh and likely to favour chasing later in the game.
He described the match as a virtual knockout for his side and stressed the need to focus on execution rather than the outcome. Rashid also expressed comfort playing in Ahmedabad, calling it familiar territory after his stint with the Gujarat Titans in the IPL. Afghanistan made one change to the lineup, bringing in spinner Noor Ahmad in place of Ziaur Rahman to strengthen their bowling attack.
South Africa skipper Aiden Markram noted that his team would also have preferred to field first due to early moisture but remained confident about setting a competitive total. He emphasised the importance of putting runs on the board to build scoreboard pressure. The Proteas introduced George Linde for Corbin Bosch, adding another spin option.
Head-to-head
South Africa lead the rivalry with three wins from three matches, while Afghanistan are still searching for their first victory over the Proteas in the format.
Playing XIs
South Africa: Aiden Markram (capt), Quinton de Kock (wk), Ryan Rickelton, Dewald Brevis, David Miller, Tristan Stubbs, Marco Jansen, George Linde, Kagiso Rabada, Keshav Maharaj, Lungi Ngidi.
Afghanistan: Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Gulbadin Naib, Sediqullah Atal, Darwish Rasooli, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan (capt), Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Noor Ahmad, Fazalhaq Farooqi.
