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Afghanistan Opt to Bowl vs South Africa in Crucial T20 WC Group D Clash

Afghanistan won the toss and chose to field first against South Africa in a pivotal Group D match of the T20 World Cup. Captain Rashid Khan cited a fresh wicket and the pitch improving later as reasons to chase, emphasizing the must-win nature of the game against a top team. South African skipper Aiden Markram acknowledged the moisture but was confident batting first to apply scoreboard pressure. Both sides made one change to their playing XIs, with Afghanistan bringing in Noor Ahmad and South Africa introducing spinner George Linde.

Key Points: T20 WC: Afghanistan Bowl First vs South Africa, Noor Ahmad In

  • Afghanistan elect to field after toss win
  • Noor Ahmad returns, Ziaur Rahmjan out
  • South Africa bring in spinner George Linde
  • Both teams seek crucial Group D victory
2 min read

T20 WC: Noor Ahmad returns as Afghanistan ask South Africa to bat

Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan chooses to field against South Africa in a must-win T20 World Cup match. Follow live updates and playing XIs.

"Against the big teams in the WC, it's a must-win game for us. - Rashid Khan"

Ahmedabad, Feb 11

Afghanistan won the toss and elected to field first against South Africa in a Group D clash of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 on Wednesday here at the Narendra Modi Stadium.

Afghanistan aim to secure their first win of the tournament and improve their fortunes against the previous edition's runners-up, after losing their opener to New Zealand by five wickets at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.

Led by Rashid Khan, the team, despite coming off a loss, should not be underestimated. They defeated New Zealand in the last T20 World Cup, and their win over cricketing giants Australia helped propel them to the semi-finals.

Meanwhile, South Africa started their campaign with a 56-run victory over Canada. They are arguably the best cricketing nation yet to win a Men's T20 World Cup, along with, interestingly, their Group D rivals, New Zealand.

Winning the toss, Afghan captain Rashid said, "Fresh wicket and we're looking forward to chase. Against the big teams in the WC, it's a must-win game for us, need to put in the effort, don't worry about the result, but just put your energy on the field. It's a home ground, I have played for GT over the years in the IPL.

"I think this pitch will get better as the game goes on, that's the reason we're chasing. A couple of areas where we can improve - batting in the powerplay and we missed our lengths in the previous game. One change, Ziaur Rahmjan misses out, Noor Ahmad is in."

Meanwhile, South African skipper Aiden Markram said, "We would have bowled first as well, quite a bit of moisture, but not a bad thing to bat. Put the runs on the board and apply the pressure. We had a good game against Canada and had a nice workaround. One change for us - we have one change, we're playing the extra spinner in George Linde, he replaces Corbin Bosch."

Playing XIs:

Afghanistan: Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Sediqullah Atal, Darwish Rasooli, Azmatullah Omarzai, Gulbadin Naib, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan (c), Fazalhaq Farooqi, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Noor Ahmad

South Africa: Aiden Markram (c), Quinton de Kock (wk), Ryan Rickelton, Dewald Brevis, David Miller, Tristan Stubbs, Marco Jansen, George Linde, Kagiso Rabada, Keshav Maharaj, Lungi Ngidi

- IANS

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Reader Comments

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Sarah B
Interesting tactical battle. SA playing an extra spinner shows they respect the Ahmedabad pitch. But Afghanistan's batting in the powerplay is a real concern. If Gurbaz and Zadran don't fire, it will be tough chasing against Rabada and Ngidi.
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Arjun K
As an Indian, I love watching Afghanistan play. They play with so much heart. Rashid Khan is a legend of the game. Hope they can pull off an upset today. South Africa are always strong on paper but... you know, it's South Africa in a World Cup. 😅
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Priya S
Good to see Noor Ahmad back. He was brilliant for Gujarat Titans in the IPL. This is a must-win game for Afghanistan, no doubt. Their journey has been incredible. Wishing both teams the best from Mumbai! 🏏
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David E
Respectfully, while Afghanistan is a great story, their batting lineup looks thin against a quality Proteas attack. Miller and de Kock on this ground could take the game away very quickly. SA by 30+ runs for me.
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Kavya N
The toss was crucial and Afghanistan got it right. Chasing under lights at Narendra Modi Stadium is always better. Rashid's local knowledge from IPL is a massive plus. Come on, boys! Do it for the subcontinent! 💪

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