The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 continues on February 11 with three major group-stage matches featuring Afghanistan vs South Africa, Australia vs Ireland, and England vs West Indies. These games bring together former champions, title contenders, and dangerous underdogs, making it a crucial day in the tournament.In Group D, Afghanistan face South Africa at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Afghanistan will be eager to bounce back after a five-wicket loss to New Zealand in their opener. Despite the defeat, they are considered a dangerous side, having beaten teams like New Zealand and Australia in the previous World Cup and reaching the semi-finals.
Led by Rashid Khan, Afghanistan have a strong spin-heavy squad with key players like Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Mohammad Nabi, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, and Noor Ahmad. South Africa, meanwhile, started their campaign strongly with a 56-run win over Canada. The Proteas, led by Aiden Markram, are one of the strongest teams yet to win a T20 World Cup and boast stars like Quinton de Kock, David Miller, Kagiso Rabada, and Anrich Nortje. Historically, South Africa have dominated Afghanistan, winning all three of their previous meetings. Recent form suggests South Africa have been more consistent, while Afghanistan have had mixed results.In another Group D match, Australia take on Ireland. Australia, the 2021 champions, begin their campaign against Ireland, who are looking for their first win after losing to Sri Lanka. Mitchell Marsh captains the Australian side, which includes key players such as Travis Head, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Adam Zampa, and Tim David. Although Australia’s recent form has been inconsistent, they are expected to build momentum as the tournament progresses. Ireland, led by Paul Stirling, have a history of causing upsets and previously beat England in the 2022 edition. Their squad includes Josh Little, Curtis Campher, Harry Tector, and George Dockrell. Australia have won both previous T20 World Cup encounters against Ireland, but Ireland’s recent form suggests they could be competitive.In Group C, England and West Indies meet at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai in a high-profile clash between two-time champions. England, captained by Harry Brook, narrowly beat Nepal in their opener, while West Indies started with a comfortable win over Scotland. England’s squad features Jos Buttler, Jofra Archer, Phil Salt, Sam Curran, and Adil Rashid, while West Indies are led by Shai Hope and include power-hitters like Shimron Hetmyer, Rovman Powell, and Sherfane Rutherford, along with all-rounders Jason Holder and Romario Shepherd. The head-to-head record between England and West Indies is extremely close, with England leading 19-18, highlighting how evenly matched these sides are. Recent form shows both teams coming in with strong momentum.
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