AHMEDABAD, FEBRUARY 11, 2026 – In arguably the most dramatic match of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 so far, South Africa secured a nerve-wracking victory over Afghanistan via a Super Over at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Wednesday. After both teams finished their 20 overs locked at 187 runs, the Proteas managed to chase down a 18-run target in the tie-breaker to keep their unbeaten streak alive.
First Innings: De Kock and Rickelton Shine
Winning the toss and electing to bowl first, Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan hoped to capitalize on the morning heat. However, after the early departure of skipper Aiden Markram, South Africa’s Quinton de Kock (59) and Ryan Rickelton (61) unleashed a brutal 114-run partnership.
Despite a middle-order wobble caused by Rashid Khan’s double-strike in the 13th over, late cameos from David Miller and Marco Jansen propelled South Africa to a formidable 187/6.
Afghanistan Bowling: Azmatullah Omarzai was the pick of the bowlers with 3/41, while Rashid Khan finished with 2/28.
The Chase: Gurbaz’s Masterclass & Final Over Chaos
Afghanistan’s response was led by a sensational Rahmanullah Gurbaz, who smashed 84 off just 42 balls (including 7 sixes). When Gurbaz was dismissed in the 13th over, the chase seemed to falter, but a resilient tail-end effort by Noor Ahmad and Rashid Khan brought the game to a knife-edge.
The final over, bowled by Kagiso Rabada, was pure theatre:
Needing 13 runs, Afghanistan benefited from two no-balls and a wide.
With 2 runs needed off the final ball, a desperate attempt for a second run resulted in Fazalhaq Farooqi being run out by Rabada, leaving Afghanistan all out for 187 and forcing the match into a Super Over.
The Super Over Shootout
Afghanistan Batting: Azmatullah Omarzai took the strike against Lungi Ngidi and hammered a four and a six, helping Afghanistan set a challenging target of 18 runs.
South Africa Batting: Facing Fazalhaq Farooqi, David Miller and Tristan Stubbs showed nerves of steel. Despite losing Dewald Brevis mid-over, Stubbs sealed the win with a massive six off the final delivery, reaching 18/1 and clinching two vital points for the Proteas.
Current Group D Standings
With this win, South Africa moves to the top of Group D with two wins from two matches. For Afghanistan, this is a devastating second loss following their defeat to New Zealand, making their upcoming matches against Canada and the UAE “must-win” encounters to stay in the hunt for the Super 8s.