South Africa and Afghanistan gear up for match number 13 of the ICC T20 World Cup 2026, starting February 11. This is a massive game for the Afghans, who New Zealand beat in their opener. On the other hand, the Proteas opened their campaign with a win over Canada.

The Proteas and Afghanistan are both quality sides, and this promises to be an enticing battle on the cards. They are part of Group D, which also consists of New Zealand, Canada and the UAE.

A win for the Afghans will mean a lot for Rashid Khan’s side. A defeat here could make things difficult in terms of qualifying for Super 8, given that New Zealand has won both their matches in Group D so far.

South Africa T20I squad: Aidam Markram (c), Quinton to Cockon(w), Ryan Rickelton, Dewald, David Miller, Stooks, Stooks, Marco Bsch, Big Mahas, Smith, Smith, Essoji Nigi, Limish, Strengthing Nin.

The South African unit will count upon their well drilled resources. They have a fiery all-round side on offer with a desired balance all around. How they handle the Afghan spinners will be key.

Afghanistan T20I squad: Rashid Khan (c), Noor Ahmad, Abdullah Ahmadzai, Sediqullah Atal, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Mohammad Ishaq Rahimi, Shahidullah Kamal, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Darwish Rasooli, Ibrahim Zadran, Zia Ur Rahman Sharifi

Reserves: AM Ghazanfar, Ijaz Ahmadzai, Farid Ahmad Malik.

Afghanistan will count on their experienced stars under Rashid Khan. It’s one of the best spin units. However, on a good batting surface, their batters need to come good and deliver a big score.

What is the H2H record between South Africa and Afghanistan?

In terms of the head-to-head record, the two sides have met just thrice. South Africa have claimed wins in all three matches.

Probable XI of both teams

SA probable XI for the match against AFG: Aiden Markram (c), Quinton de Kock (wk), Ryan Rickelton, Dewald Brevis, Tristan Stubbs, David Miller, Corbin Bosch, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Marco Jansen, Lungi Ngidi.

AFG probable XI for the match versus SA: Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran, Sediqullah Atal, Darwish Rasooli, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Rashid Khan (c), Abdullah Ahmadzai, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Noor Ahmad.

Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad & Key Details of the Stadium

The Narendra Modi Stadium is the largest cricket stadium in the world. It can host up to 1,32,000 people. The stadium hosted the 2023 ODI World Cup final. It’s also set to be used at the 2030 Commonwealth Games. The first T20I held here was in 2021 between India and England.

What is the Pitch like at the Narendra Modi Stadium?

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.

Key Stats & Records at the Narendra Modi Stadium

A total of 9 T20I matches have been played at the Narendra Modi Stadium. South Africa are featuring in their 2nd T20I here. They overcame Canada in their T20 World Cup 2026 opener. Before that, they lost to India by 30 runs in December 2025. The Afghans will play their first clash here.

India own the highest total here at this venue, scoring 234/4 versus New Zealand in February 2023. India also scored 231/5 versus South Africa in December 2025.

South Africa’s best score here is 213/4 versus Canada.

New Zealand’s score of 66 is the lowest total here. It was versus India in 2023.

Former T20I star Virat Kohli has scored the most runs here (258). Among active players, Hardik Pandya has 179 runs. For South Africa, de Kock has managed 90 runs from two matches here.

Pandya and Shardul Thakur also have the joint-most wickets here (8 each). For SA, Lungi Ngidi picked a four-fer in the match against Canada.

SA vs AFG: Weather Forecast – Will Rain Play a Role?

As per reports, the weather forecast is for a bright and sunny setting for the 11 am IST start in Ahmedabad. Temperatures through the day will be hovering around 18-31 degrees Celsius. The humidity is expected to stay between 43 and 49 per cent.

SA vs AFG: Pitch Advantage for Which Side?

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 – Pitch Report for Narendra Modi Stadium

What is the pitch report for Narendra Modi Stadium?

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.

What is SA and AFG’s record at the Narendra Modi Stadium?

At the Narendra Modi Stadium, the two teams will meet for the 1st time. SA have played twice here and own one win (L1). Afghanistan will play their 1st clash at the venue.

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