Afghanistan won the toss and elected to bowl in Match 13 of the ICC T20 World Cup 2026. The Group D encounter was played at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on February 11, 2026. This was a must-win game for Afghanistan after losing their opener to New Zealand. South Africa had started their campaign with a dominant win over Canada at the same venue.
South Africa was led by captain Aiden Markram with experienced batters Quinton de Kock and David Miller in the lineup. Afghanistan was captained by Rashid Khan with explosive wicketkeeper Rahmanullah Gurbaz at the top. Both teams made one change each, with George Linde replacing Corbin Bosch for South Africa and Noor Ahmad coming in for Ziaur Rahman for Afghanistan.
The match produced one of the greatest games in T20 World Cup history. Both teams scored 187 runs in regulation play. The first Super Over was also tied at 17 runs each. South Africa eventually won in the second Super Over, making this the first ever double Super Over in T20 World Cup history.
Match Summary
| Team | Score | Overs |
|---|---|---|
| South Africa | 187/6 | 20.0 |
| Afghanistan | 187/10 | 19.4 |
| Result | Match Tied – Second Super Over Required | |
South Africa Posts Competitive Total
South Africa lost captain Aiden Markram early for just 5 runs. Fazalhaq Farooqi had him caught at mid-off while trying to clear the boundary. Quinton de Kock and Ryan Rickelton then took charge with a magnificent partnership. The left-handed duo attacked the Afghan bowlers from the start and put on 114 runs for the second wicket in just 61 balls.
De Kock and Rickelton both reached their half-centuries in the same over. Rickelton was the more aggressive of the two and hit some beautiful drives and sixes. The partnership was broken by Rashid Khan who dismissed both batters in the space of three balls. Rashid had Rickelton caught for 61 off 28 balls and then removed de Kock for 59 off 41 balls.
South Africa then struggled in the middle overs as Afghanistan’s spinners applied the pressure. Dewald Brevis fell to Azmatullah Omarzai for 23 runs. Tristan Stubbs was also dismissed by Omarzai who finished with excellent figures of 3 for 41. Marco Jansen and David Miller added 28 runs in the last two overs to push South Africa to 187 for 6. Miller remained unbeaten on 20 off 15 balls.
Top Batting Performances
| Batter | Team | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rahmanullah Gurbaz | Afghanistan | 84 | 42 | 4 | 7 |
| Ryan Rickelton | South Africa | 61 | 28 | 5 | 4 |
| Quinton de Kock | South Africa | 59 | 41 | 5 | 3 |
| Dewald Brevis | South Africa | 23 | 19 | 1 | 1 |
| Azmatullah Omarzai | Afghanistan | 22 | 16 | 3 | 0 |
Gurbaz Powers Afghanistan’s Dramatic Chase
Rahmanullah Gurbaz launched a sensational assault from the very first over. He smashed boundaries against both Marco Jansen and Kagiso Rabada. Afghanistan raced to 50 for 0 in just 4 overs with Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran going on the attack. Gurbaz hit 7 sixes during his innings, breaking the record for most sixes in a T20 World Cup innings by an Afghan batter.
Lungi Ngidi then changed the complexion of the chase. He dismissed Zadran with a brilliant slower ball that castled him. In the same over, Ngidi had Gulbadin Naib caught and bowled for a duck. Kagiso Rabada struck next to dismiss Sediqullah Atal. Afghanistan crashed from 51 for 0 to 52 for 3 in the space of two overs.
Gurbaz continued his incredible knock despite losing partners. He reached his fifty off just 26 balls and kept Afghanistan in the hunt. Gurbaz struck at a strike rate of 200 with boundaries flowing all around the ground. Keshav Maharaj eventually dismissed Gurbaz for 84 runs, his highest score in T20 World Cups. George Linde took a superb catch at backward point.
Azmatullah Omarzai (22) and Rashid Khan (20) kept Afghanistan in the match. Going into the final over, Afghanistan needed 13 runs to win. Kagiso Rabada bowled a wayward over with multiple no-balls and wides. Fazalhaq Farooqi was run out on the final ball with scores level at 187, sending the match into the tournament’s first Super Over.
Top Bowling Performances
| Bowler | Team | Overs | Runs | Wickets | Econ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Azmatullah Omarzai | Afghanistan | 4 | 41 | 3 | 10.25 |
| Lungi Ngidi | South Africa | 4 | 26 | 3 | 6.50 |
| Rashid Khan | Afghanistan | 4 | 28 | 2 | 7.00 |
| Keshav Maharaj | South Africa | 4 | 27 | 1 | 6.75 |
| Fazalhaq Farooqi | Afghanistan | 4 | 32 | 1 | 8.00 |
First Super Over: Both Teams Score 17
Afghanistan batted first in the Super Over. Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Azmatullah Omarzai walked out to face Lungi Ngidi. Omarzai smashed the first ball for four over short third man. He then launched a massive six straight down the ground off the second ball. Omarzai continued his assault and finished with a four to help Afghanistan score 17 runs off the over.
First Super Over
| Team | Score | Bowler |
|---|---|---|
| Afghanistan (bat first) | 17/0 | Lungi Ngidi |
| South Africa (chase) | 17/1 | Fazalhaq Farooqi |
| TIED – Second Super Over Required | ||
South Africa sent David Miller and Dewald Brevis to chase 18 runs. Fazalhaq Farooqi bowled for Afghanistan. Miller started with a single off a full toss. Brevis then smashed a massive 97-meter six over midwicket. However, Farooqi came back with a slower ball that Brevis top-edged to Gurbaz. Tristan Stubbs joined Miller and hit sixes and fours under pressure. Stubbs smashed the final ball for six over long-on to tie the Super Over at 17. This sent the match into a second Super Over for the first time in T20 World Cup history.
Second Super Over: South Africa Win Historic Thriller
South Africa batted first in the second Super Over. David Miller and Tristan Stubbs faced Azmatullah Omarzai. Stubbs opened with a massive six over midwicket off the first ball. Miller then took over and smashed back-to-back sixes to put South Africa in complete control. Miller hit a high full toss over deep midwicket and followed it with another six to the same region. South Africa finished with 24 runs off the second Super Over.
Afghanistan needed 25 runs to win. Keshav Maharaj bowled the crucial over for South Africa. Mohammad Nabi and Gurbaz walked out to bat. Nabi missed a swing at the first ball and was dismissed off the second delivery when he failed to clear the infield. Rahmanullah Gurbaz then unleashed three massive sixes in a row to keep Afghanistan’s hopes alive. He smashed Maharaj over midwicket and long-on with incredible power.
With 6 runs needed off the last ball, Gurbaz launched another big hit straight down the ground. For a moment it looked like the ball would clear the boundary for six. But David Miller sprinted to his left at long-on and threw himself full stretch to take a stunning one-handed catch. Miller held on with incredible focus as he slid on the ground. Maharaj finished with two wickets in the second Super Over to seal a famous victory for South Africa.
SECOND SUPER OVER (First in T20 World Cup History)
| Team | Score | Bowler |
|---|---|---|
| South Africa (bat first) | 23/0 | Azmatullah Omarzai |
| Afghanistan (chase) | 19/2 | Keshav Maharaj |
| SOUTH AFRICA WIN BY 4 RUNS | ||
Key Moments And Records
This match will be remembered as one of the greatest in T20 World Cup history. It was the first ever double Super Over in T20 World Cup history. Rahmanullah Gurbaz broke the record for most sixes (7) in a T20 World Cup innings by an Afghan batter. His partnership of 69 runs with Darwish Rasooli was Afghanistan’s highest for the 4th wicket in T20 World Cups. Gurbaz’s three massive sixes in the second Super Over nearly pulled off an impossible victory.
David Miller’s stunning one-handed catch in the second Super Over will go down as one of the greatest catches in World Cup history. He sprinted from long-on and dived full stretch to his left to take the match-winning catch. Keshav Maharaj’s two wickets in the second Super Over proved decisive. The victory kept South Africa on top of Group D while Afghanistan’s tournament hopes hang by a thread.
Leave a Comment