What a match! If you missed the T20 World Cup clash between South Africa and Afghanistan, you missed what might go down as the most stressful, chaotic, and exhilarating game in cricket history. In a “Group of Death” battle that refused to end, South Africa eventually scraped a victory after two Super Overs, leaving Rahmanullah Gurbaz and his Afghan teammates absolutely heartbroken.
The game was a literal rollercoaster. Both teams finished their regulation 20 overs at 187 runs, leading to a tie. The first Super Over saw both sides trade blows to land at 17-17. It took a second tie-breaker for the Proteas to finally clinch it, winning the final stretch 23-19.
The Drama of Regulation Time: A Comedy of Errors
South Africa looked to have the game in the bag during the final over of the regular innings. Afghanistan needed 13 runs with only one wicket remaining—a tall order by any standard. However, veteran Kagiso Rabada struggled with his line, conceding two costly no-balls. Even then, Afghanistan nearly fumbled the opportunity with a running error, but they managed to scramble enough runs to level the score at 187.
Earlier in the day, South Africa’s total was built on the backs of Ryan Rickelton (61) and Quinton de Kock (59). Afghanistan’s bowling duo, Azmatullah Omarzai and Rashid Khan, kept things tight, but it was Rahmanullah Gurbaz who stole the show during the chase. His blistering 84 off just 42 balls put Afghanistan in a winning position before the late-innings collapse led us to the Super Over madness.
Double Super Over Madness: Inches From a Hat-Trick
The first Super Over was a stalemate. South Africa seemed “done and dusted” until Tristan Stubbs smoked a six off the final ball to force a second tie-breaker. By the time the second Super Over rolled around, the tension in the stadium was palpable. South Africa set a target that required Afghanistan to hit four sixes off the final four balls.
Gurbaz, clearly the man of the hour, nearly pulled off the impossible. He smashed three consecutive sixes, leaving Afghanistan needing just a boundary off the final ball to force an unprecedented third Super Over. He struck the ball cleanly, but unfortunately, it went straight to the fielder at point. If that ball had been two meters to the left or right, we’d likely still be watching them play.
