Afghanistan thriller has given Proteas valuable lessons in handling pressure at T20 World Cup

Two matches into the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, South Africa have already tasted the pressures that come with playing on the big stage.

Their tournament opener against Canada was a relatively easy victory; however, the Afghanistan fixture provided a test of note. The side had to go through two super overs to get over the line and secure an important victory in the group stage.

The pressure provided an awakening for the squad — one they needed as the intensity will only increase as the tournament progresses.

Moreover, the fact that South Africa was able to win the Afghanistan double-super-over thriller will go a long way in boosting the team’s confidence. The squad now understands what World Cup pressure really feels like and how they should go about their business under fire.

Batter Tristan Stubbs, having batted in the super over against seamer Fazalhaq Farooqi and hit a six off the last ball to tie the first super over, highlighted calmness as a key factor to handling pressure.

“I’ve been in a few super-overs before. You’ve just got to focus on your breathing. You need to watch the ball, and there’s a lot of luck involved,” Stubbs emphasised.

“He (Farooqi) bowled two yorkers, and he landed them, so I knew he was coming [with a] yorker. But then again, it was about being really calm and still and trying to hit it for six — and fortunately, I hit it for six.

"I tell myself that the bowler is under more pressure and that they tend to miss a lot in super overs. So, if you’re clear, calm and watching the ball, you’ll get your chance, and fortunately, I did."

The high-intensity fixture will bode well for South Africa as they push to progress to the next phase of the tournament. New Zealand will pose a great threat and will be confident given their recent success against the Proteas in T20Is under new coach Rob Walter.

Equally, the Proteas will be in great spirits having won the thriller against Afghanistan, a match that many already consider the most entertaining in the showpiece event, despite there being a lot of action still left in the tournament.

But captain Aiden Markram says they have to pull up their sock ahead of the match against the Black Caps.

"There's areas we can improve," said South Africa captain Aiden Markram. "Small little phases, and it adds up to a lot in this format. You need to win games like this."

The fixture between South Africa and New Zealand is scheduled to start at 3.30pm on Saturday at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.