Ahmedabad, February 11, 2026 – The South Africa vs Afghanistan 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup witnessed its most dramatic moment yet as South Africa and Afghanistan played out a match that refused to end. After 40 overs of high-octane cricket left both sides deadlocked at 187, and a subsequent first Super Over also ended in a tie, the Proteas finally clinched a 4-run victory in the second Super Over to break Afghan hearts.
South Africa vs Afghanistan Match Overview: A Pendulum of Emotions
South Africa, having won the toss and electing to bat, were powered by a magnificent 114-run partnership between Ryan Rickelton (61) and Quinton de Kock (59). However, Rashid Khan’s double-strike in the 13th over sparked a middle-order collapse. It took a late blitz from Marco Jansen (16)* and David Miller (20)* to propel the Proteas to 187/6.
In response, Afghanistan’s chase was a one-man show for the ages. Rahmanullah Gurbaz played a sensational knock of 84 off 42 balls, keeping the required rate under control. Despite losing partners at the other end, the Afghans stayed in the hunt. The final over was pure chaos—Kagiso Rabada bowled two no-balls, and with 2 runs needed off the final ball, Fazalhaq Farooqi was run out while attempting the winning run, leaving Afghanistan all out for 187.
The Super Over Drama
Super Over 1: Afghanistan batted first and scored 17/0. South Africa matched it exactly, thanks to a monstrous last-ball six from Tristan Stubbs.
Super Over 2: Batting first this time, South Africa plundered 23/0, with David Miller smashing two sixes. Afghanistan’s Gurbaz hit three consecutive sixes to bring the equation down to 6 off 1 ball, but he was caught on the final delivery, sealing a 4-run win for South Africa.
Match Scorecard: Detailed Statistics
1st Innings: South Africa Batting
| Batter | Dismissal | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s | SR |
| Aiden Markram (c) | c Nabi b Fazalhaq | 5 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 62.50 |
| Quinton de Kock (wk) | c Ibrahim b Rashid | 59 | 41 | 5 | 3 | 143.90 |
| Ryan Rickelton | lbw b Rashid | 61 | 28 | 5 | 4 | 217.86 |
| Dewald Brevis | c Nabi b Azmatullah | 23 | 19 | 1 | 1 | 121.05 |
| David Miller | not out | 20 | 15 | 1 | 1 | 133.33 |
| Tristan Stubbs | c Mujeeb b Azmatullah | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 50.00 |
| Marco Jansen | c Sediqullah b Azmatullah | 16 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 228.57 |
| Extras | (lb 1, w 1) | 2 | – | – | – | – |
| TOTAL | (20 Overs) | 187/6 | RR: 9.35 |
Afghanistan Bowling Performance
| Bowler | Overs | Maidens | Runs | Wickets | Econ |
| Fazalhaq Farooqi | 4.0 | 0 | 32 | 1 | 8.00 |
| Mujeeb Ur Rahman | 3.0 | 0 | 30 | 0 | 10.00 |
| Azmatullah Omarzai | 4.0 | 0 | 41 | 3 | 10.25 |
| Rashid Khan | 4.0 | 0 | 28 | 2 | 7.00 |
| Noor Ahmad | 3.0 | 0 | 35 | 0 | 11.66 |
2nd Innings: Afghanistan Batting (Target: 188)
| Batter | Dismissal | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s | SR |
| Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk) | c Linde b Maharaj | 84 | 42 | 4 | 7 | 200.00 |
| Ibrahim Zadran | b Ngidi | 12 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 120.00 |
| Gulbadin Naib | c & b Ngidi | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Sediqullah Atal | c Jansen b Rabada | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Darwish Rasooli | run out (de Kock) | 15 | 18 | 0 | 0 | 83.33 |
| Azmatullah Omarzai | c Stubbs b Ngidi | 22 | 17 | 3 | 0 | 129.41 |
| Mohammad Nabi | c Markram b Linde | 5 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 83.33 |
| Rashid Khan (c) | c Miller b Jansen | 20 | 12 | 3 | 0 | 166.67 |
| Mujeeb Ur Rahman | run out (Jansen) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Noor Ahmad | not out | 15 | 9 | 0 | 2 | 166.67 |
| Fazalhaq Farooqi | run out (Jansen/Rabada) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| Extras | (lb 1, w 11, nb 2) | 14 | – | – | – | – |
| TOTAL | (19.4 Overs) | 187 (All Out) | RR: 9.51 |
South Africa Bowling Performance
| Bowler | Overs | Maidens | Runs | Wickets | Econ |
| Lungi Ngidi | 4.0 | 0 | 26 | 3 | 6.50 |
| Marco Jansen | 4.0 | 0 | 42 | 1 | 10.50 |
| Kagiso Rabada | 3.4 | 0 | 38 | 1 | 10.36 |
| Keshav Maharaj | 4.0 | 0 | 27 | 1 | 6.75 |
| George Linde | 3.0 | 0 | 39 | 1 | 13.00 |
Post-Match Analysis: Key Takeaways
1. The Rickelton-de Kock Engine
South Africa’s opening pair (with Rickelton at 3) set the tone perfectly. Rickelton’s strike rate of 217.86 put the Afghan spinners under immediate pressure, while de Kock’s experience allowed him to manipulate the field during the middle overs.
2. Gurbaz: The Lone Warrior
Rahmanullah Gurbaz cemented his status as a world-class opener. His 84 runs came at a time when the rest of the top order crumbled for single digits. He nearly pulled off the impossible in the second Super Over, proving he is a nightmare for bowlers in high-pressure scenarios.
3. Death Bowling & Discipline
Kagiso Rabada’s final over was a roller coaster. His two no-balls nearly cost South Africa the game in regulation time, but the Proteas’ fielding—specifically the three run-outs—saved their tournament life.
Player of the Match: Lungi Ngidi
While the batters grabbed the headlines, Lungi Ngidi was the silent assassin. His 3/26 in regulation time kept Afghanistan from running away with the chase, and his calm under pressure was vital in navigating the first Super Over.