South Africa Sets Afghanistan a Daunting Target in T20 World Cup Clash

In an electrifying encounter at the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026, South Africa set Afghanistan a challenging target of 188 runs during their match at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad.

Electing to bowl first, Afghanistan initially subdued South African hitters. Fazalhaq Farooqi struck early, removing South Africa captain Aiden Markram with a deceptive slower delivery. Despite this, Quinton de Kock and Ryan Rickleton ignited the innings, bringing South Africa to 43/1 by the end of the powerplay. They continued to dominate, reaching 98/1 after 10 overs, fueled by a hefty 23-run 10th over.

The duo amassed 116 runs in 61 balls, with De Kock scoring 59 off 41 deliveries and Rickleton accumulating a quickfire 61 off 28. De Kock surpassed AB de Villiers' run tally, becoming South Africa's top scorer in T20 World Cups. Rashid Khan briefly curtailed their momentum by dismissing both batsmen in quick succession. Despite the setbacks, contributions from Dewald Brevis and David Miller bolstered the total to 187/6, aided by Marco Jansen's late surge. Afghanistan's task is now to chase down 188 to achieve victory.