South Africa faces Afghanistan in the 13th match of Group D at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, a crucial early clash that could shape both teams’ Super Eights hopes. Set for February 11, 2026, at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, this game pits the Proteas’ firepower against the Afghan spinners’ guile under Indian conditions.
The fixture kicks off at 10:00 AM local time (11:00 AM IST), giving fans a midday thriller in Gujarat’s massive arena. Live coverage streams on JioStar Network and JioHotstar app worldwide. Weather looks favorable with clear skies, temperatures around 25-29°C during play dropping to 20°C by evening, low humidity at 40-50%, and no rain threats—ideal for uninterrupted T20 action, though dew might aid chasing later.
With Group D featuring heavyweights like New Zealand, this win propels South Africa toward a top-two finish after their dominant opener against Canada. Afghanistan, fresh off semis glory in 2024, need points to build momentum post a tough start—loss here risks early pressure. Both sides eye net run rate boosts in this evenly poised group.
SA vs AFG Match Details
- Match: South Africa vs Afghanistan 13th Match
- Teams: AFG vs SA
- Date: 11 Feb 2026
- Time: 10:30 AM 5:30 AM GMT / 11:00 AM LOCAL
- Venue: Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad
T20 World 2026 Live Streaming Info
The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 kicks off on February 7, 2026, and wraps up with the final on March 8, 2026. Hosted across India and Sri Lanka with 20 teams, it spans about a month—group stages from early February, Super 8s mid-month, semis late February/early March, and the final in Colombo or Mumbai.
- In India, tune into Star Sports Network (Star Sports 1, Star Sports 2) or stream on Disney+ Hotstar and JioCinema.
- Pakistan viewers can watch on PTV Sports, A Sports, or Ten Sports, with streaming available on Tapmad and Tamasha.
- For Sri Lanka, options include SLRC, Channel Eye, and Siyatha TV on TV, plus Sri Lanka Cricket YouTube and Dialog ViU online.
- UK fans have Sky Sports Cricket, TNT Sports 1, and talkSPORT on television, alongside Sky Go, Discovery+, and NOW TV for streaming.
- In South Africa, SuperSport covers it on TV and via their app.
- Australia might check Fox Sports for TV and Kayo Sports for live streams.
- USA and Canada: Willow TV on TV, Sling TV or Willow HD app for streaming.
- New Zealand: Sky Sport NZ on TV and Sky Go app.
- Bangladesh: Gazi TV (GTV) and Rabith BD app.
- Afghanistan: RTA Sport and Ariana TV.
Rest of the world: ICC.tv for free streaming where no local rights holder exists. Subscriptions often apply, and VPNs can assist with geo-blocks where permitted.
How to Watch the Match for Free:
Catch every boundary without paying via these official free options, perfect for fans in Pakistan and beyond.
Pakistan: PTV Sports broadcasts all matches live for free on TV via terrestrial, cable, and satellite—no subscription needed.
Live Streaming Info:
The 13th T20 World Cup match will be live on Star Sports.
Live Score Info:
ICC T20 World Cup 2026: All matches on ESPN and Cricbuzz have live scores.
Probable XIs
SA Probable XI: Aiden Markram (c), Quinton de Kock (wk), Ryan Rickelton, Dewald Brevis, David Miller, Tristan Stubbs, Marco Jansen, Corbin Bosch, Kagiso Rabada, Keshav Maharaj, Lungi Ngidi.
AFG Probable XI: Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Gulbadin Naib, Sediqullah Atal, Darwish Rasooli, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan (c), Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Noor Ahmad, Fazalhaq Farooqi
Team Forms
South Africa enters unbeaten, fresh from a statement rout of Canada showcasing all-round depth—Rabada and Jansen spearheading pace, while openers de Kock and Rickelton fired. Their 2024 finalists’ experience shines, blending youth like Brevis with veterans. Afghanistan stumbled in their opener but carries giant-killing vibe from beating Australia last World Cup; recent West Indies series prep honed spin attack amid Rashid’s leadership.
Key Talking Points
Can Afghanistan’s spin trio—Rashid, Mujeeb, Noor—choke South Africa’s power-hitters on a gripping track? Proteas’ pace battery faces Afghan openers Gurbaz and Zadran, who love pace on flat decks. Markram’s captaincy vs Rashid’s tactics, plus dew factor flipping chases, headline this. Recent momentum favors SA’s clinical finishes over AFG’s upsets.
Head-to-Head
In 3 T20Is, South Africa leads 3-0, including a 9-wicket demolition in 2024 World Cup (AFG 56 all out). No meets in last two years, but SA’s dominance persists. Last five: All SA wins (only 3 played)—Tarouba 2024 (SA by 9 wkts), Durban 2021 (SA by 6 wkts), Christchurch 2019 (SA by 72 runs). AFG yet to taste T20I victory here.
South Africa Analysis
Strengths: Explosive top order (de Kock, Rickelton), lethal pace (Rabada, Ngidi, Jansen), middle-order finishers like Miller and Stubbs. Weaknesses: Spin vulnerability in Asia, over-reliance on pace. Key players: Kagiso Rabada (recent hauls), Aiden Markram (calm leader), Quinton de Kock (form opener). Recent: Blasted Canada, building on India series momentum.
Afghanistan Analysis
Strengths: World-class spin (Rashid, Mujeeb, Noor), resilient middle order (Naib, Nabi), Fazalhaq’s swing. Weaknesses: Batting fragility vs express pace, top-order inconsistency. Key players: Rashid Khan (wicket magnet), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (aggressive keeper-bat), Azmatullah Omarzai (all-rounder). Recent: Prep wins vs WI, but opener wobble exposes depth issues.
South Africa’s superior squad depth, head-to-head edge, and batting firepower tip the scales on this batting-friendly pitch—expect them to post 180+ and defend via pace-spin combo. Afghanistan’s spinners could keep it close if dew doesn’t bite, but Proteas win by 15-20 runs or 6 wickets. SA’s form and venue suit them best.