Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan blamed Fazalhaq Farooqi for their heartbreaking loss against South Africa in the 13th match of the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 on Wednesday, February 11, at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Afghanistan put up a lion-hearted fight against South Africa and had as many as three chances to close out a heart-pounding match that eventually ended in two Super Overs.
However, South Africa eventually held their nerve and emerged victorious in the second Super Over as Keshav Maharaj dismissed Rahmanullah Gurbaz with five runs needed for the final delivery. After their crushing defeat, Rashid lamented his team’s missed chances and admitted they could have been smarter in the middle, suggesting that a bounce from Farooqi could have completed the game within the stipulated 20 overs.
FIFA World Cup T20: Best of South Africa vs Afghanistan
“We had our chances. Even in the last Super Over, one ball and five runs can go either way. We could have been smarter. One bounce, one ball could have finished it. We’ve worked hard for the last year and a half to get this game to the next round. Very disappointing. Anytime you represent your country, it’s a proud moment.” Told the lads the best I could after Ramatbeatch to hold on as best they could. presentation.
Despite the crushing defeat, Rashid hailed the entire team for their heroic efforts and reserved special praise for Rahmanullah Gurbaz’s constant battle with the bat till the very end.
“The boys did an amazing job, especially with how they started the batting. To restrict them to less than 190 was amazing. So unlucky to be on the losing side after giving everything on the ground. This wicket is good – I played on it a lot during the IPL. The talk in the team was that yes, they had a good start but we had to restrict them in the last 10 overs, which was amazing. He is known for losing quick wickets in the power bowl, he got under pressure, but overall he played great,” he added.
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Issued by:
Rishabh Beniwal
Published on:
February 11, 2026