Overview:
Rashid Khan is the leading wicket-taker in T20 cricket. A player who has thrived in the sub-continent. For SA, Aiden Markram has been batting strongly of late.
The South African men’s cricket team is set to take on Afghanistan in the 13th match of the 2026 ICC T20 World Cup campaign, starting February 11. Notably, this match will be held at 11:00 am IST at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. There are two more matches after this on Wednesday. Australia take on Ireland in Colombo, whereas England and the West Indies meet each other in Mumbai.
The Proteas come into this contest on the back of a win against Canada. They played at this venue and will back themselves once again to come good.
Afghanistan, under Rashid Khan, will be aiming to tick the right boxes. They did well with the bat in their opener against New Zealand, but bowling-wise, they failed to seize the early initiative and lost the contest.
What is the Context of the SA vs AFG match?
South Africa have a balanced outfit blended with fine batters, sturdy all-rounders and a good bowling attack. After walking past minnows Canada, they have a tougher test this time around against Afghanistan. They will be wary of the threat Afghanistan posses in terms of spin show.
On the other hand, the Afghans will be wanting to move on from the NZ clash and put up a fight. They can come good and spring a surprise. The batting is something they will want more runs from, given that this is a solid surface.
In terms of the head-to-head record, the two sides have met just thrice. SA own a 100% win-loss record against the Afghans.
South Africa – Probable Playing XI
Aiden Markram: After a strong SA 2025-26 season, Aiden Markram hit a solid 59 versus Canada. He slammed 10 fours and a six.
Quinton de Kock (wk): The veteran batter had a dream SA20 campaign and has been amongst the runs of late. He scored a 22-ball 25 in the match against Canada.
Ryan Rickelton: He will be a force in the number three slot. A 21-ball 33 versus Canada was a nice effort, and he would want to build upon the same.
Dewald Brevis: He brings aggression and shot-making to his game. He can step up this time after a paltry six versus Canada.
Tristan Stubbs: A countable figure, Stubbs showed his mettle with an unbeaten 34 in the clash against Canada. He struck at 178.95.
David Miller: A veteran batter, Miller has a wealth of experience and class riding. He smashed a 23-ball 39* in the match against Canada.
Marco Jansen: The star bowling all-rounder brings substance and value. He owns a batting strike rate of 140-plus. With the ball, he averages 32.29. He picked 2/30 versus Canada.
Corbin Bosch: The all-rounder took 1/27 versus Canada. He is a solid batter down the order and promises fireworks.
Keshav Maharaj: He will lead the Proteas spin attack. Maharaj has claimed 43 T20I wickets. He went wicketless against Canada (0/28).
Kagiso Rabada: The speedster proved to be costly against Canada, clocking 1/40. Overall, he has 79 T20I wickets.
Lungi Ngidi: The right-arm pacer delivered a match-winning show versus Canada. He picked a four-fer and claimed the MoM award.
Player to watch out for (Aiden Markram): The senior opener has been batting strongly of late. He can set the tone for his side and has de Kock to support him.
Afghanistan – Probable Playing XI
Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk): In 84 matches, Gurbaz has collected 2166 runs. He has 12 fifties and a ton. Gurbaz scored a 22-ball 27 versus the Kiwis.
Ibrahim Zadran: He is a classy batter but needs to work on his strike rate. He managed a paltry 12-ball 10 in the match against NZ.
Sediqullah Atal: He will bring stability at number three. He scored a 29-run knock off 24 balls versus NZ in his side’s opener.
Darwish Rasooli: The Afghan batter has appeared in 25 T20Is and has scored 463 runs. He scored 20 off 13 balls against NZ.
Azmatullah Omarzai: He is one of the best all-rounders. He has picked 46 scalps and has also hit over 725 runs.
Mohammad Nabi: The veteran spin all-rounder has collected 2440 runs from 149 T20Is. With the ball, he has claimed 105 wickets.
Rashid Khan (c): He has featured in several global T20 leagues. Rashid is a world-class spinner. He has 186 T20I scalps and close to 700 wickets in T20s.
Gulbadin Naib: The pace all-rounder went past 1000 T20I runs with a blistering knock of 63 off 35 balls against NZ.
Fazalhaq Farooqi: The pacer will lead the line for Afghanistan. He was costly and wicketless in his side’s clash versus NZ.
Noor Ahmad: The young spinner is a class act. In 24 T20Is, he has claimed 20 wickets. He has gained good experience playing in the IPL.
Mujeeb Ur Rahman: The spinner claimed two early wickets versus the Kiwis before ending with 2/31. He has 84 scalps.
Player to watch out for (Rashid Khan): He is the leading wicket-taker in T20 cricket. A player who has thrived in the sub-continent.
Top Batters for Dream11
In terms of the Dream11 team pick, among batters, the likes of Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Aiden Markram and Ryan Rickelton can be wise picks alongside Ibrahim Zadran and Sediqullah Atal.
Quinton de Kock can be a differential pick. He promises fireworks and a sound tempo.
Best All-Rounders to Boost Points
In terms of all-rounders, one can go with two sound options in the form of Azmatullah Omarzai and Corbin Bosch.
Bowlers to Watch in Dream11
With the surface expected to favour batsmen, the likes of Lungi Ngidi and Rashid Khan can be wise picks among bowlers. Kagiso Rabada can be another option in the pace department.
Captain and Vice-captain picks
Markram can be an ideal captaincy option, with Gurbaz being the vice-captain pick.
One can mix it with Omarzai being picked as captain and Bosch as the vice-captain.
Pitch Report & Venue Conditions
The pitch at the Narendra Modi Stadium is expected to provide a balanced contest between bat and ball. Batters will need to show patience early on, as scoring freely may not be easy at the start. However, once set, they can accelerate and post strong totals, especially in the latter half of the innings. For bowlers, wickets may come at a premium due to the flat nature of the surface and the large outfield, which often turns good shots into singles rather than boundaries. Bowlers will need to work hard for wickets and bowl nice varieties and in tight channels.
Match Prediction – Who Has the Upper Hand?
All things considered, South Africa will be the slight favourites given the nature of the wicket. They have plenty of batting firepower, which can unsettle the Afghans. A 3-0 win-loss record also bolsters the cause in SA’s favour for this contest.
FAQs About SA vs AFG Playing 11
Who are the key players in the SA vs AFG clash?
Rashid Khan is the leading wicket-taker in T20 cricket. A player who has thrived in the sub-continent. For SA, Aiden Markram has been batting strongly of late. He can set the tone for his side and has de Kock to support him.