Afghanistan has won one and lost two matches so far in the T20 World Cup 2026.
The last edition’s semi-finalists, Afghanistan, have failed to advance to the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 Super Eights. Ahead of their last match against Canada, skipper Rashid Khan opened up on the potential reason behind the team’s league-stage exit from the 20-over championship.
The Afghanistan captain opined that the tough draw played a huge role in their group-stage exit from the T20 World Cup 2026. Notably, the team was placed in Group D, alongside the current table-toppers South Africa, New Zealand, UAE, and Canada.
“We had to play New Zealand and South Africa in just four days. There’s no room for error, any mistake, and you’re out. In T20 cricket, if you slip up, it’s very hard to come back. To reach the Super Eights, you have to beat big teams. For the semi-finals, you need to beat even bigger ones,” he said in the pre-match press conference.
In the last edition, three comprehensive victories against Uganda, New Zealand, and Papua New Guinea had helped the side secure a place in the Super Eights of the tournament. Further, two stunning wins against Australia and Bangladesh also saw Afghanistan qualify for their maiden T20 World Cup semi-final.
“In these games, you can’t underestimate anyone. The first two matches were critical. Last year, wins against New Zealand and Uganda early on gave us momentum. Starting with big teams is a different challenge, but we must learn and improve for next time,” added Rashid.
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Following a five-wicket defeat facing the Black Caps in their tournament opener, Rashid Khan and Co. had almost snatched two crucial points against the Proteas in the historic double super-over fixture. Even after a dot and a wicket in the second super over, opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz defied all odds to hammer three consecutive sixes, chasing 24 off the final four deliveries.
But in the end, he just fell short of hitting yet another maximum off an experienced Keshav Maharaj, as last season’s runner-up claimed the nail-biting match. This confirmed that the team could only reach a maximum of four points in the group stage of the T20 World Cup 2026. However, Rashid Khan wants to end Afghanistan’s campaign on a high against Canada and is looking forward to preparing for the forthcoming ODI World Cup on South African soil.
“Teams will come at us with new plans. We must upgrade our skills, stay ahead of the opposition, and handle pressure better. The World Cup in South Africa is a big test. We need to be fully prepared, both mentally and skill-wise,” noted the Afghanistan skipper.
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