T20 World Cup 2026: South Africa beat Afghanistan after two Super Overs

AHMEDABAD: Experienced spinner Keshav Maharaj held his nerves calm in the second Super Over to lead South Africa to a sensational victory over Afghanistan in the Group D match of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 here at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Wednesday.

Put into bat first, South Africa accumulated a decent total of 187/6 in their 20 overs, courtesy of half-centuries from Quinton de Kock and Ryan Rickelton.

Rickelton remained the top-scorer with a 28-ball 61, while de Kock made 59 off 41 deliveries.

For Afghanistan, Azmatullah Omarzai picked up three wickets, followed by Rashid Khan with two, while Fazalhaq Farooqi made one scalp.

Set to chase a daunting 188-run target, Afghanistan’s batting unit was booked for 187 in 19.4 overs and thus the enthralling fixture headed into the Super Over.

Opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz was the standout batter for Afghanistan, top-scoring with a blistering 84 off 42 deliveries, laced with seven sixes and four fours, while Omarzai was the next-best contributor with a 17-ball 22.

For South Africa, Lungi Ngidi claimed three wickets for just 26 runs in his four overs, while Marco Jansen, Kagiso Rabada, George Linde and Keshav Maharaj chipped in with one scalp apiece.

Ngidi, who returned economical bowling figures, was entrusted by captain Aiden Markram to bowl the Super Over for South Africa, but the decision backfired as Omarzai smashed him for two sixes and a four on his way to a five-ball 16 as Afghanistan raised 17/0.

Farooqi was then tasked by Rashid Khan to defend 18 runs for Afghanistan in the Super Over, but a last-ball six from Tristan Stubbs helped South Africa amass 17 and force the match into the second Super Over.

Stubbs and experienced David Miller walked out to bat for South Africa in the second Super Over, bowled by Omarzai, and the duo piled up 23/0, courtesy of the latter, who smashed two sixes during his four-ball 16.

Set to chase a daunting 24-run target in the one-over eliminator, all-rounders Mohammad Nabi and Omarzai came out to bat for Afghanistan, with Keshav Maharaj bowling for South Africa.

Maharaj gave South Africa an ideal start by getting rid of Nabi on the second delivery, which led to Gurbaz walking out to bat.

The wicketkeeper batter turned the game on its head by smashing Maharaj for three consecutive sixes, bringing the total down to six required off the final delivery.

Despite being hit for three consecutive sixes, followed by a wide, Maharaj recovered and dismissed Gurbaz to snatch a sensational victory for South Africa.