Narendra Modi Stadium abuzz with 13th match 2026 T20 World Cup The 2024 semi-finalists will face off in a high-stakes rematch in Ahmedabad. afghanistan captain Rashid Khan Won the toss and elected to bowl first, hoping to take advantage of the early moisture on the clay court to stun South Africa Highest order. Afghans desperate for a win to stay afloat after losing to rivals New ZealandThe Proteas will look to maintain their dominant start as the world’s biggest cricket ground will see a tactical showdown between pace and spin.

SA vs AFG: Why Corbin Bosch will miss T20 World Cup 2026 in Ahmedabad

South Africa has made a single tactical change in today’s conflict with Afghanistan, George Lind Return to eleven instead Corbin Boss. The decision to bench the young all-rounder had nothing to do with injuries but was a strategic move by the Proteas management to adapt to the conditions in Ahmedabad.

team leader Aiden Markram It was confirmed at the toss that the team opted for extra spinner Linde to take advantage of the grip offered by the clay and counter Afghanistan’s spin-heavy middle order. Markram noted that while they would prefer to bowl first due to “precautionary” moisture issues, they believe in the dual spin threat of Lind and Lind Keshav Maharaj This will enable them to “squeeze” the Afghanistan batsmen in the second innings when the pitch is expected to slow down.

“We’ll also bowl first, with quite a bit of moisture, but batting is not a bad thing. We can get good runs on the board and then squeeze a little bit more and chase it down. We had a good game against Canada and had a good resolution. There was one change for us – we had the extra spinner in George Linde, who replaced Corbin Bosch.” Markram said.

Also read: Mitchell Marsh reveals why Tim David will miss Australia’s 2026 T20 World Cup opener against Ireland

T20 World Cup 2026, SA vs AFG: High-stakes reunion of last edition’s semi-finalists

The contrast between the two teams’ experiences so far in the 2026 T20 World Cup has been stark. South Africa enter this match with strong momentum with a comprehensive 57-run victory CanadaMarkram’s half-century and a record Championship total of 213/4 suggest they intend to go one step further than their runners-up finish in 2024. The Proteas looked balanced and clinical, their pace battery Kamuzeng Rabada and Good luck Working side by side with an intermediate order anchored byDavid Miller-Tristan Stubbs‘Machine room.

For Afghanistan, this game is actually a knockout match. After a heartbreaking five-wicket defeat New Zealand In their opening Group D match, Rashid’s side found themselves in a “must win” situation to achieve their Super 8 dreams. Historically, the Proteas have been Afghanistan’s Achilles’ heel, having won their previous three T20I matches, including the infamous 56-run defeat in the semi-finals of the last World Cup. in the game against canada United Arab Emirates Remaining Afghans know that today’s unrest in Ahmedabad is crucial to avoiding an early exit. For the victors, the road to the next round becomes a clear highway;

Also read: IPL 2026 Schedule: Why did BCCI take so long to release the schedule? this is what we know