Watch: Quinton de Kock celebrates 50 in SA vs AFG T20 World Cup 2026 clash

Both South Africa and Afghanistan came into the clash with different results from their previous clashes at the T20 World Cup 2026. At the Narendra Modi Stadium, where the Proteas won their opening clash against Canada, they hoped to continue the same dominance against the Asian side, who were coming off their opening defeat against New Zealand in Chennai.

The Proteas didn’t make a great start with the bat as they found themselves crawling at 12/1 in three overs. That was when Quinton de Kock and Ryan Rickelton decided to take on the Afghanistan bowlers. The former smashed a fine six against Rashid Khan on the third delivery of the seventh over before taking on the opposition captain in the ninth over of the innings with two boundaries.

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Once Noor Ahmed came into attack, de Kock and Rickelton lashed on to the left-arm wrist spinner, which saw the 10th over of the innings being belted away for 23 runs, including two sixes and a couple of boundaries.

Quinton de Kock notches up 50 in T20 World Cup 2026 

With a fine boundary in the 11th over against Mujeeb Ur Rahman, De Kock celebrated his half-century in 34 balls, which was a massive bonus point for the Rainbow Nation, after which they saw their left-handed batter, Ryan Rickelton, also raise his bat for the 23-ball half-century. That was when the Proteas thought of posting a score more than 180 on the board.

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But they couldn’t last long as Rashid came back to dismiss both the set batters in the same over. On the fourth delivery of the 13th over, Rashid got the wicket of de Kock, who ended up with 59 runs in 41 balls with the help of five boundaries and three sixes. Two balls later, the Proteas lost Rickelton for 61 runs in 28 balls, who smacked four sixes and five boundaries.

The onus suddenly came on Dewald Brevis and David Miller to provide them a good finish with the bat. Rashid, meanwhile, ended with 2/28 in his spell of four overs as the Proteas made their way to 135/3 in their 15 overs.

Brief Scores: SA 144/3 (Ryan Rickelton 61, Quinton de Kock 59, Rashid Khan 2/28) vs AFG