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Day five of the ongoing T20 World Cup is in for a few intriguing fixtures.
There is plenty of action on the go in India and Sri Lanka.
Read on for our T20 World Cup predictions and previews.
Afghanistan v South Africa
Key talking points
Afghanistan
Last World Cup they made the semi-finals; now two years later they stand on the brink of elimination after just two games.
While a loss to South Africa won’t mathematically be the end of their campaign, it would make it very hard for Rashid Khan’s side to advance given that only two teams per pool move into the Super Eights.
Having lost their opener against New Zealand a second loss is an almost unrecoverable position, and it would require one of South Africa or the Kiwis to suffer a reverse at the hands of UAE or Canada (the smaller teams in the group).
South Africa
It may be early in the competition, but this is a must-win game for the Proteas. If they can see off Afghanistan, then the pressure is off for their encounter with New Zealand.
Aiden Markram’s men looked excellent against Canada as they posted the highest score of the tournament thus far and then bowled well to secure a 57-run win and give their run-rate a big boost.
It is a quick turnaround for the Proteas however, with less than 48 hours between the Canada clash and the meeting with Afghanistan.
Venue: Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad
South Africa have played two previous T20Is in Ahmedabad, a loss in 2025 and their opening win of the current tournament against Canada on Monday. Afghanistan have never made an appearance at the ground.
Wednesday’s game will be the tenth T20I to be held at the venue.
The side that won the toss has fielded first in eight of the nine games played at the ground.
The average first innings score at the ground is 170.
The highest score made at the ground was India’s 234 for four from 20 overs scored against New Zealand in 2023. The Kiwi’s reply to that score was the lowest ever total at the ground – they were dismissed for just 66 runs.
The highest score successfully chased at the ground was India’s 166 for three from 17.5 overs, made against England in 2021.
Weather
Wednesday morning in Ahmedabad is expected to have clear, sunny skies with virtually no chance of rain. Temperatures will start at a refreshingly cool 17 degrees at sun rise and warm slowly.
A gentle breeze from the northeast is expected to blow, but, in short, it will be perfect conditions for cricket.
Form
- Afghanistan: L, L, W, W, W
- South Africa: W, L, W, W, L
Key players
Rahmanullah Gurbaz
So many of the top T20 teams have a power-hitting wicketkeeper at the top of the order. Players like Jos Buttler, Quinton de Kock, Tim Seifert and Ishan Kishan are some examples.
Gurbaz is Afghanistan’s equivalent and he can stand alongside any of the aforementioned players in terms of quality and ability on either side of the stumps.
He was the highest run scorer at the 2024 World Cup, his runs and aggression at the top of the order playing a major role in steering Afghanistan to the semis.
At 25.78 his average is perhaps not quite as high as he would want it to be, but he scores fast and he is in good form, coming into Wednesday’s game on the back of innings of 27, 43 and 71.
Ryan Rickelton
Dropped from the squad for the World Cup only to receive a late reprieve when Tony de Zorzi got injured, Rickelton has seemingly caught a wakeup call as a result.
That, coupled with a switch to number three has seen the dynamic left-hander recapture his best form. He scored 33 in the tournament opener and has been in excellent touch in recent games, averaging 69.66 from his last five innings.
With a strike rate of 143.68 Rickelton seems to have found his place at number three in the Proteas lineup where he can be his own man and not a Quinton de Kock clone.
Prediction: South Africa
This result is anything but a foregone conclusion as Afghanistan will be fighting for their lives. In 2024 Rashid Khan’s side made the semi-finals, so they have shown they have the quality and ability to go a long way in the competition.
But so too do South Africa who were the beaten finalists in 2024. It won’t be easy, but the Proteas should have enough depth and form to see off Afghanistan.
Also read: 5 exciting under-23 stars poised for breakout T20 World Cup campaigns
Australia v Ireland
Key talking points
Australia
Without a win in their last five games, on the surface of it, Australia appears to be wildly out of form. They may not be quite the force they were a decade ago, but Australia is still an impressive unit.
The trip to Pakistan ahead of the World Cup certainly didn’t pan out as the Baggy Greens would have hoped, but they will take confidence from the fact that World Cup wickets will offer more to the batters than they did in Lahore.
Mitch Marsh leads a side filled with IPL experience who will be desperate to return to winning ways and begin their tournament with a statement win.
Ireland
Ireland have faced Australia in T20Is twice previously and have never managed a win, but they will sense an opportunity against the current version of the Baggy Greens.
Having lost their tournament opener against Sri Lanka, Ireland know that they cannot afford another defeat.
Their batting and bowling were good in the 20-run defeat to Sri Lanka, but their fielding was poor, with six dropped catches meaning they let themselves down badly. If they can sharpen up in the field, they could cause an upset.
Venue: R Premadasa Stadium, Colombo
Ireland have played at the ground three times and never won (one of the games ended with a No Result). Australia meanwhile have won seven of the nine games they have played at the ground.
Wednesday’s game will be the 50th T20I to be played at the ground.
From the 49 games played at the ground, the side that chased has won 28 times while the side that batted first has won 20.
The average first innings score at the venue is 142.
The highest score recorded at the stadium was Bangladesh’s 215 for five from 19.4 overs made against Sri Lanka in 2018. This is also the highest successful chase at the ground.
The lowest score made at the ground was Afghanistan’s 80 all out, scored against England in 2012.
The lowest score successfully defended at the ground was South Africa’s 115 for six, made against Sri Lanka in 2013.
Weather
Colombo is expected to be hot and humid with temperatures reaching a peak of 32 degrees. There is no chance of rain, and the sky will be largely cloudless.
High humidity levels may make it feel significantly warmer, with a “Real Feel” potentially in the high 30s. A light breeze from the north-northwest will provide minor relief.
Form
- Australia: L, L, L, NR, L
- Ireland: L, W, W, L, W
Key players
Travis Head
Dynamic opening batsman Travis Head loves to attack in the powerplays and he comes into the tournament with a very big reputation.
He struggled in Lahore (along with the rest of the team), but he was in blistering form during the Ashes in December and January where he thrilled with his aggression having been promoted to the top of the order.
Head’s T20I average is modest at just 28.36, but his strike-rate is impressive – hitting at 156.52 he boasts the 31st best strike-rate of all time.
George Dockrell
Australia showed they were vulnerable against good-quality spin when they fell apart in Pakistan and veteran left-armer George Dockrell will be hoping to exploit those frailties on Wednesday.
He looked good against Sri Lanaka in their opener claiming two for 17.
Ireland’s preparation hasn’t seen them play the most powerful sides around, but in warm-ups against Italy and UAE he kept the scalps coming with six wickets from his last four games.
Prediction: Australia
Australia are serial performers at major events and while they may be missing a number of key players, they are still a formidable outfit oozing confidence and swagger.
Yes, they struggled badly in their pre-tournament warm-up series in Pakistan, but the wickets they played on there were wild turners. They should be far more comfortable in Colombo, where the wicket will be more batsman friendly.
England v West Indies
Key talking points
England
England came perilously close to being on the wrong side of what would have been the biggest upset of all time, but they held their nerve to see off Nepal by four runs in their tournament opener.
They will want to look a lot sharper in their second outing on Wednesday where they will know that a win almost certainly guarantees them a spot in the Super Eights.
West Indies
The West Indies are a thrilling batting unit with a host of power-hitters capable of clearing the ropes and thrilling the crowds.
But they are struggling at the moment with their bowling, and while they did well to dismiss Scotland in their tournament opener, they only managed ten scalps in three games against the Proteas in the warm-up series in South Africa.
Their opening tournament game was against Scotland who fought bravely but who were ultimately overwhelmed – England will be much sterner opposition.
Venue: Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai
England have won three and lost two of the four T20Is they have played at the Wankhede Stadium while the West Indies have won two of the three games they have played there.
Wednesday’s game will be the third game of the tournament to be played at the Wankhede Stadium – it was also the venue for England’s narrow win over Nepal.
In eight of the ten previous T20Is played at the Wankhede Stadium, the team that has won the toss has elected to field first. That wasn’t the case on Sunday when England won the toss and batted against Nepal.
The average first innings score at the ground is 178.
The highest ever score made at the score was India’s massive 247 for nine, scored against England in 2025.
The highest score successfully chased at the ground was England’s 230 for eight from 19.4 overs against South Africa in 2016.
Weather
It will be good conditions for cricket in Mumbai on Wednesday night with clear and pleasantly cool conditions.
After a warm day, temperatures will dip to an evening low of approximately 23 degrees. Expect clear skies with no chance of rain, accompanied by a light northerly breeze.
Form
- England: W, W, W, W, NR
- West Indies: W, W, L, L, W
Key players
Harry Brook
The England skipper fills the designated finisher role and comes in at five for his side. With the ability to improvise, Brook is highly adept at adjusting to play the situation in front of him.
He hit an excellent 53 runs from 32 ball in England’s opener, doing just enough to see his side to a defendable score.
Brook will hope that he arrives at the crease against the West Indies with his side in a more comfortable position than the three for 57 they were at when he started against Nepal.
His presence in the middle-order will provide assurance to the dynamic top order that they can afford to play shots and attack with Brook as the safety net behind them.
Shimron Hetmyer
In the West Indies’ opener against Scotland Romario Shepherd returned figures of five for 20 including a hattrick and he still missed out to Hetmyer for the Player of the Match award.
That wasn’t an error, Hetmyer was simply sensational with the bat hitting six maximums on his way to a score of 64 from 36 balls. Hetmyer was the standout performer from a West Indies top order who all made good starts.
Prediction: England
England were more than a little underwhelming in their tournament opener against Nepal where they scraped to a four-run win.
They will want to up their game against the West Indies and they should be able to. The West Indies are a mercurial outfit who on their day can do almost anything.
But England are not one of the favourites to win the tournament for nothing and they should have more than enough in the tank to see off a side who have struggled for wins in recent games.
Read next: Revealed – The 9 best T20 World Cup batters of all time
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