Afghanistan coach Jonathan Trott has not given up hope of advancing to the super 8 stage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup T20 despite suffering a soul-crushing defeat against South Africa at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Wednesday, February 11. South Africa edged out Afghanistan in a thrilling contest decided by two Super Overs.
Although he had up to three opportunities to close out the game, Afghanistan buckled under the pressure, ultimately resulting in a crushing defeat. After the loss, Jonathan Trott, who is expected to leave his position as head coach at the end of the tournament, said his team still had a chance to qualify for the Super 8 should other teams spring a surprise.
“I’m still in a position where I want to make sure we do things right, especially against the UAE in Delhi. They’re a good side and so are we, so hopefully we’ll end up playing good cricket and see where that leaves us. Hopefully this group can surprise a few people, get a few results and we’ll be back in the race. We’ve got to stay very positive against the UAE and play against Sharjahrick in Dubai.” each other pretty well and it should be a good game,” Trott said in the post-match press conference.
How can Afghanistan qualify?
After losing their first two matches against New Zealand and South Africa, Afghanistan are now in a precarious position in Group D. There are still two games left against the UAE and Canada. However, wins alone in these remaining fixtures will not be enough to secure Super 8 qualification.
Afghanistan will also require either South Africa or New Zealand to lose both their remaining matches and their net run-rate to fall below Afghanistan’s. In such a scenario, the Rashid Khan-led side would still have a chance to keep their campaign alive on the back of a higher net rate.
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Issued by:
Rishabh Beniwal
Published on:
February 11, 2026