T20 World Cup 2026: South Africa clinches narrow win against Afghanistan; survives two Super Overs

Ahmedabad: The T20 World Cup 2026 Group D match between South Africa and Afghanistan witnessed a thrilling encounter. On Wednesday (February 11) at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, Afghanistan were bowled out for 187 in reply to South Africa's 187/6. This resulted in a tie which subsequently to led to an extremely event - two Super Overs.

What happened during the  Super Over?

In the Super Over, Afghanistan scored 17 runs, batting first. Later, South Africa also scored 17 runs in the Super Over, resulting in a tie. South Africa then scored 23 runs in the second Super Over. Mohammad Nabi, who came out to chase the runs, was dismissed on the second ball. However, Rahmanullah Gurbaz made the match thrilling. He hit three consecutive sixes before being dismissed. Keshav Maharaj, bowling in the second Super Over, dismissed Rahmanullah Gurbaz on the last ball, thus resulting in a win for South Africa. Afghanistan needed 5 runs to win off the last ball, but Gurbaz was caught behind.

Now, Afghanistan's path to reaching the Super 8 becomes extremely difficult. From here, they will not only have to win both their remaining matches by a large margin, but also hope for other teams' results to go in their favor. This is not an ideal situation for any team.

What happened during the first Super Over?

In the first Super Over, Afghanistan scored 17 runs without losing a wicket. Azmatullah Omarzai batted aggressively, hitting two fours and a six. In response, South Africa needed a six off the last ball, and Tristan Stubbs hit a brilliant six under pressure to force the match into the second Super Over.

What happened during the second Super Over?

In the second Super Over, South Africa, batting first, scored 23 runs, with David Miller playing a quickfire 16. Chasing a target of 24, Gurbaz tried again and hit three sixes, but this time Afghanistan could only manage 19/2, and South Africa won the high-voltage match.

How did the rest of the match played out?

Earlier, after electing to bat first after the toss, Quinton de Kock (59) and Ryan Rickelton (61) gave South Africa a solid start. Their 114-run partnership for the second wicket laid the foundation for a big score. In the allotted 20 overs, the Proteas scored 187 for 6. Azmatullah Omarzai took 3/41 and Rashid Khan took 2/28 for Afghanistan.

Chasing the target, Rahmanullah Gurbaz gave Afghanistan a blazing start. He played an explosive innings of 84 runs in just 42 balls, bringing the match to a draw. However, the remaining batsmen failed to hold on, and the team was all out for 187 in 19.4 overs. Lungi Ngidi took crucial figures of 3/26 for South Africa.

South Africa vs Afghanistan Scorecard:

South Africa: 187/6 (20 overs) – Quinton de Kock 59, Ryan Rickelton 61
Afghanistan: 187 all out (19.4 overs) – Rahmanullah Gurbaz 84