AHMEDABAD, India (AP) — Afghanistan won the toss and sent 2024 runner-up South Africa in to bat Wednesday in the crunch Group D game at cricket’s Twenty20 World Cup.
South Africa won its opening game over Canada. Afghanistan lost its opener to New Zealand and needs a win to maintain its chances of progressing to the Super Eights from a group containing three highly-ranked teams. Only the top two teams in each of the four groups will advance.
New Zealand is 2-0 and leads the group.
Afghanistan skipper Rashid Khan said it was his IPL home ground is a good pitch to bowl first on and he prefers to chase a target. Afghanistan was the surprising semifinalist at the 2024 World Cup before losing to South Africa in that tournament in the Caribbean and United States.
South Africa made one lineup change, with left-arm orthodox spinner George Linde replacing fast bowling allrounder Corbin Bosch.
For Afghanistan, left-arm wrist spinner Noor Ahmad was called in to replace medium pace bowler Ziaur Rahman.
In later games Wednesday, Australia is due to play its tournament-opening game against Ireland in Group B and England is against West Indies in Group C.
The tournament's biggest group-stage rivalry is back on after unbeaten Pakistan reversed its decision to boycott and will go ahead with the Group A game against India on Sunday.
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Lineups:
Afghanistan: Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran, Gulbadin Naib, Sediqullah Atal, Darwish Rasooli, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan (captain), Fazalhaq Farooqi, Noor Ahmad, Mujeeb Ur Rahman.
South Africa: Aiden Markram (captain), Quinton de Kock, Ryan Rickelton, Dewald Brevis, David Miller, Tristan Stubbs, Marco Jansen, George Linde, Kagiso Rabada, Keshav Maharaj, Lungi Ngidi.
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AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket