T20 World Cup 2026: 6,6,6, W! South Africa survive Afghanistan scare and two super overs for win in Ahmedabad
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "T20 World Cup 2026: 6,6,6, W! South Africa survive Afghanistan scare and two super overs for win in Ahmedabad")
SA survive Afghanistan scare & 2 super overs in Ahmedabad Photograph: (AFP)
Needing 24 off 4 balls in the second super over, Afghan batter Rahmanullah Gurbaz hit three sixes off Keshav Maharaj in a row. With 6 needed off the last ball, Maharaj bowled a wide ball to bring the equation 5 off 1. Maharaj, however, got Gurbaz out and SA came out winning.
South Africa survived three sixes in a row and two super overs to win a thriller against Afghanistan at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Wednesday (Feb 11) in T20 World Cup 2026 Group D match. Afghanistan had their chances but fell short in the end in what would be counted as a gut-wrenching match. Needing 24 off 4 balls in the second super over, Afghan batter Rahmanullah Gurbaz hit three sixes off Keshav Maharaj in a row. With 6 needed off the last ball, Maharaj bowled a wide ball to bring the equation 5 off 1 - a four would have sent the match into the third super over but alas, Maharaj got Gurbaz out and SA came out winning.
Before that, Afghanistan scored 17 runs in the first super over, thanks to two fours and a six by Azmatullah Omarzai. South Africa were almost out of it with 7 needed off 1 ball but Tristan Stubbs hit a six to send the match into second super over.
Earlier, Afghanistan started the chase of 188 well, scoring 51 for no loss before Lungi Ngidi took two wickets in the 5th over and a wicket in the next one saw Afghanistan slipped to 52/3. Gurbaz, meanwhile, kept the innings going before falling for a brilliant 42-ball 84. Needing 41 runs in alst four overs, the equation came down to 2 runs off three balls with just one wicket left. A run left the game at 187 for each side, something Afghanistan would rue as the run came on a free hit.
After being put in to bat first, South Africa didn't have a very good start as skipper Markram (5) departed in the third over at a team score of 12 runs. QDK then paired up with Ryan Rickelton and the duo added 114 runs in 12.1 overs and put their team on the top. The partnership was broken by Afghan spinner Rashid Khan who dismissed De Kock. Rickelton (61 off 28) departed in the same over and Afghans had a comeback. Dewald Brevis (23 off 19) and Miller (20 off 15) took their team past 150 as South Africa finished at 187/6 in 20 overs. For Afghnistan, Azamtullah Omarzai took 3/41 while Rashid pitched in with 2/28 and Fazalhaq Farooqi took 1/32.
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