South Africa vs Afghanistan T20I: All Eyes on Rashid Khan in Ahmedabad

The Twenty20 International between South Africa and Afghanistan at the Narendra Modi Stadium is more than just a group match; it’s a real test of whether South Africa’s strong batting can remain composed when Rashid Khan begins to apply pressure.

This Match 13 in Group D starts at 11:00 AM on February 11th, 2026, in Ahmedabad – a ground where captains generally prefer to use player match-ups rather than simply rely on gut feeling. South Africa come into the game with good form and a lot of options, and Afghanistan arrive with a bowling attack that is made to perform well away from home.

For fans in India, the stadium makes it easy to imagine how the game might go. Ahmedabad is a place where Indian Premier League matches have often seen big changes in the middle of the innings, when a wrist-spinner bowls two overs in a row and 52 runs from 36 balls becomes 62 runs from 30.

All eyes will be on Rashid Khan, because this is the type of situation where he can control things: a batting order with many right-handed players, hitters who want speed on the ball, and a captain who understands one quiet over can remove two boundaries’ worth of tension.

Will South Africa be able to maintain their attacking plans without giving Rashid the one thing he thrives on – a feeling of worry from the opposition?

In Depth

The Important Matchup: Control of the Middle Overs versus Chaos in the Middle Overs

T20 games in India are often explained with the simple idea that the powerplay sets up the innings and the final overs finish it. But that’s only partly true at grounds like Ahmedabad, where the middle overs determine whether a chase stays on track or falls behind.

Afghanistan’s whole strategy is based on this. They don’t have to win every part of the game; they only need to make the period between the 7th and 15th overs so difficult that the batters start to look for easy runs. With Rashid in the middle of it all, Afghanistan attempt to create a false feeling of needing to hurry.

South Africa, however, are at their best when they keep the score moving at 8–9 runs per over in the middle overs, without taking too many risks. Their most successful T20 teams have not been the ones chasing 230 every night, but the ones turning 170 into a very strong position with fast bowling and good fielding.

The game comes down to a simple question, with complex answers: which team is able to impose their preferred speed in the middle overs first?

Rashid Khan’s Real Strength

When Rashid is at his very best, batters do not get a “loose ball” to hit. They get a series of deliveries that seems possible to play, and then realise they are 10 balls into his spell with only one boundary and their batting partner is beginning to look for a way to change the game.

His speed in the air is the key. He can bowl fast enough to make it hard to cut the ball, but still drop it enough to pull you towards the pitch. This is why it’s so hard to hit him for runs at grounds with large square boundaries: you can’t sit back and hit straight, and you can’t try to hit the slog-sweep if he’s bowling so quickly.

Against South Africa, Rashid’s effect will be seen in two ways:

If a well-set right-handed batter decides to play Rashid out at a run a ball, South Africa can still win. But if two new batters come to the crease at the same time, and Rashid is able to bowl at them with a close-in off-side field, Afghanistan will suddenly seem like a team that can defend a score of 150.

South Africa’s Batting Plan

South Africa’s best T20 plan in recent tournaments has been clear. One top-order batter stays in long enough to make the chase possible, while the others play around him with short, powerful bursts of scoring.

In an Indian day game, this player who holds things together is even more important. The ball can come off the pitch well at the start, then slow down for a time, then fly again at the end as the surface gets worn and the bowler misses the right length. A batter who can change their shot selection without changing their speed is very valuable.

The key things for South Africa:

The last point is often underestimated. Even in “holding” overs, a single boundary makes a captain change the field and breaks the tension of a series of dot balls.

The Proteas’ Fast Bowling

If you are Afghanistan, you are not going into this match hoping to chase 210. You are aiming for a fair total and then trying to stop South Africa with spin. South Africa’s answer is simple: take the spin out of the game by hurting Afghanistan early.

Afghanistan’s top order has skill, but it can still be made to make mistakes when the ball hits the middle of the bat and the fast bowlers keep changing the length. Rabada and Nortje can do that with speed and bounce, while Ngidi’s value is angles and variety without losing control.

Ahmedabad pitches can reward this ‘hit the deck’ method, especially when bowlers trust their lengths and let the pitch’s bounce do the rest. If South Africa take wickets in the powerplay, Afghanistan’s spin plan is damaged because they are suddenly rebuilding rather than controlling.

Watch the first two overs closely. If South Africa’s bowlers bowl a hard length with an aggressive field and force cross-batted shots, Afghanistan could lose a key batter before Rashid even gets to affect the game.

Afghanistan’s Batting in Reality

Afghanistan’s top six can look like a collection of highlights when it goes well. The problem is that their most natural way of scoring is often to hit boundaries, rather than to build up a score slowly, and that is risky against a fast bowling attack that doesn’t give away many easy runs. They will want one of their best three batters to play a long innings, so the others can bat freely. As soon as they lose two batters quickly, the innings will start to depend on needing one good, high-scoring over to get them out of trouble. South Africa are good in those kinds of situations, as it encourages batters to hit mistimed shots to the boundary.

Should Afghanistan bat first, a sensible score isn’t about making a huge total. It’s about making a score that is able to be defended and lets Rashid and his fellow bowlers bowl at a total that already suggests to the opposition that they are under pressure.

Why the 11 AM Start Matters

A late evening chase in India brings dew, the ball skids on the surface, and a softer ball which makes it hard for spin bowlers to get a grip. An 11 AM start usually means a better grip, more definite plans, and less of the excuse “the ball was wet”.

That is good for Afghanistan. Rashid’s control and speed depend on a clean release, and the rest of the spin attack is better when the ball remains dry and the seam stays standing up.

It doesn’t mean spin will certainly be the most important type of bowling. It means batters must work for their boundaries, rather than just letting the ball slide on to the boundary. The square boundaries at the Narendra Modi Stadium can really punish a batter who gets the timing wrong, and mis-hits will hang in the air long enough for fielders to get underneath them.

South Africa’s best idea is to be very forceful at the start, then calm down later. Afghanistan’s best idea is to get through the early overs, then put pressure on later. The same place, but opposite plans.

The Captains’ Battle

Aiden Markram has become a T20 captain who trusts which batters face which bowlers and doesn’t react too much to one expensive over. That personality is important against Afghanistan, because Rashid’s biggest success is psychological: he wants batters to try to hit balls they shouldn’t be hitting.

Rashid’s captaincy, on the other hand, is good at timing his bowlers’ spells so the batting team never gets two overs in a row where they are comfortable. He will try to bowl himself when a partnership is new, and again when a new batter comes to the crease.

If South Africa want to win this, they will:

If Afghanistan want to win, they will:

What “All Eyes on Rashid Khan” Means

It’s tempting to reduce this to one player against one team. Cricket doesn’t work like that, but Rashid does change the chances more than most players in the world.

“All eyes on Rashid” in this match actually means three things:

Even if Rashid ends with figures that look ‘normal’, his effect can still be the most important thing. A 2 for 24 that includes four dot balls to a batter who is already set can be more useful than a showy 3 for 35 where the batters were able to hit release shots.

Players Who Can Change Things

Rashid may be the main talking point, but South Africa have a couple of types of player who are made for this kind of spin-heavy battle.

A reliable top-order wicketkeeper-batter who can keep the strike and gently get singles is essential. If South Africa’s opener can turn Rashid’s overs into 7–8 runs without risk, the rest of the innings can develop.

David Miller-style finishers are the other danger. Afghanistan’s spin works best when the batting side needs 10 runs an over in the last five overs. If South Africa reach the end of the innings needing 8 an over with wickets left, Miller’s ability to hit the ball turns the game quickly.

For Afghanistan, the players around Rashid will decide whether his spell becomes a match-winning trap or just a good effort:

What to Expect Without the Talk

South Africa look better suited to Ahmedabad over the whole of the 20 overs: excellent fast bowling options, strong fielding, and a middle order that can recover a chase. Afghanistan’s way to win is narrower, but possible: keep it close, make Rashid the most important player, and force South Africa into the kinds of shots that go to the deep fielders.

If Rashid gets help from the other end and Afghanistan take their catches, this will be a real fight. If South Africa keep wickets in hand into the last seven overs, their finishing power should give them the win.

Main Points