Afghanistan’s T20 World Cup 2026 campaign hangs by a thread, but captain Rashid Khan’s mind is stuck on one match: the pulsating super over loss to South Africa. Despite dominating, they crumbled in the decider, a memory etched in pain.
On the eve of facing UAE at Arun Jaitley Stadium, Rashid bared his soul. ‘It’s brutally hard to move past. That super over heartbreak against South Africa—we had it all under control and still lost.’
Echoing past traumas, he said, ‘The Australia clash in 2023 at Wankhede haunted me endlessly until the 2024 T20 win started dissolving it gradually.’
The captain stressed resilience. ‘Disappointing after 1.5 years of intense work on mindset and effort. This foundation will propel us in coming games and beyond.’
Elimination looms post losses to New Zealand and South Africa. Rashid attributed it to inexperience. ‘Rare encounters with top teams mean we’re undercooked for crunch moments. Frequent T20s would highlight threats and fixes; World Cup is no place for trial and error.’
The format amplifies risks. ‘Two games in four days versus giants, lose them, and you’re done—like us. Demands peak mental and physical prep; tiny slips are fatal.’
Preparation gaps hurt. ‘Without prior clashes, opponents reinvent tactics. New Zealand’s bold mindset after wickets caught us off-guard; series experience would predict that.’
Yet, hope persists. ‘We played well overall, just unlucky. Proximity in the super over underscores our preparation.’
Remaining fixtures: UAE on 16th, Canada on 19th—must-wins for Rashid’s warriors.