South Africa vs Afghanistan | South Africa Survive Double Super Over Thriller Against Afghanistan

South Africa vs Afghanistan : South Africa 187 for 6 (Rickelton 61, de Kock 59, Omarzai 3-41, Rashid 2-28) beat Afghanistan 187 (Gurbaz 84, Ngidi 3-26) after two Super Overs.

Regulation time finished at 187-187. The first Super Over ended 17-17. South Africa sealed the match in the second Super Over, winning 23-19.

South Africa stayed alive in the T20 World Cup’s group of death after edging Afghanistan in a match that needed two Super Overs. Afghanistan required 13 in the last over with one wicket in hand. Kagiso Rabada bowled two no-balls, and despite a running error that tied the game, South Africa escaped.

In the first Super Over, Afghanistan made 17. South Africa matched it after Tristan Stubbs hit a last-ball six. The second Super Over saw South Africa score 23. Afghanistan needed four sixes off four balls. Rahmanullah Gurbaz struck three of them. With four needed to force another tie after a wide from Keshav Maharaj, Gurbaz hit straight to point.

Rickelton and de Kock Counter Spin

Fazalhaq Farooqi struck early, removing Aiden Markram. South Africa were 12 for 1 after four overs. Quinton de Kock and Ryan Rickelton responded with a 114-run partnership in 10.1 overs. De Kock attacked spin despite averaging 6.94 per over against spin in his T20 career. Rickelton played with greater force.

Noor Ahmad was introduced as the only change for Afghanistan and was hit for two sixes in his first over. Both batters reached their fifties in the 11th over bowled by Mujeeb Ur Rahman. Rickelton reached his half-century off 23 balls, de Kock off 34.

Rashid Pulls Afghanistan Back

Rashid Khan, after conceding 21 runs in his first two overs, dismissed Rickelton and de Kock in the same over to reach 699 T20 wickets. South Africa were 126 in the 13th over at that stage. They managed only 63 runs in the final 7.3 overs. Marco Jansen’s late hits lifted them to 187.

Gurbaz Leads the Chase

Gurbaz countered from the start, striking Lungi Ngidi, Rabada and Jansen for sixes. He hit Noor Ahmad’s replacement George Linde over long-off first ball. Ngidi recovered with slower balls, dismissing Ibrahim Zadran and Gulbadin Naib. Maharaj bowled four overs for 27 runs and one wicket.

Gurbaz eventually fell for 84 off 42 balls, edging Maharaj to backward point. Afghanistan’s chase then depended on Rashid Khan, Mohammad Nabi and Azmatullah Omarzai. Rashid hit two fours off Rabada in the 17th over.

Stubbs caught Omarzai in the 18th over. David Miller dismissed Rashid in the 19th. Nineteen were needed off nine balls. Jansen conceded a six to Noor Ahmad. Rabada overstepped in the final over, and Noor hit another six. Afghanistan tied the match after taking a second run off a free hit.

First Super Over

Omarzai struck a six and two fours off Ngidi to set South Africa 18. Farooqi removed Dewald Brevis, leaving 11 needed off three. A yorker went for four off the bottom edge. Stubbs then hit a straight six to tie again at 17-17.

Second Super Over

Stubbs and Miller powered South Africa to 23, including three sixes. Afghanistan needed 24. Nabi fell for a two-ball duck. Gurbaz hit three consecutive sixes. With six required off the last ball after a wide, Maharaj bowled again. Gurbaz sliced to Miller at backward point to end the match.

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