In one of the most dramatic encounters in T20 World Cup history, South Africa secured a sensational victory over Afghanistan in a Group D clash in Ahmedabad that required two Super Overs to find a winner.

Opting to bat first, South Africa posted a competitive 187/6. The innings was anchored by a dominant 114-run partnership between Ryan Rickelton (61) and Quinton de Kock (59). Despite looking set for a total exceeding 200, Rashid Khan’s double strike in a single over pulled the Proteas back.

In reply, Afghanistan’s chase was fueled by a blistering 84 off 42 balls from Rahmanullah Gurbaz. The match reached a chaotic conclusion when Kagiso Rabada bowled two no-balls in the final over, but a late run-out saw Afghanistan bowled out for exactly 187, forcing a tie.

The drama intensified in the first Super Over as Azmatullah Omarzai took Lungi Ngidi for 17 runs. South Africa appeared beaten until Tristan Stubbs smashed a six off the final delivery to level the scores again. In the second Super Over, David Miller and Stubbs powered South Africa to 23 runs. Gurbaz nearly pulled off a miracle with three consecutive sixes, but his dismissal on the final ball left Afghanistan short at 19/2. This victory puts South Africa in pole position for qualification, while Afghanistan faces an uphill battle after two consecutive losses.

This match adds to a rare list of T20 contests requiring more than one Super Over. The first international double Super Over occurred between India and Afghanistan in January 2024. History was pushed even further in June 2025, when the Netherlands defeated Nepal in the first-ever international match to require three Super Overs. Afghanistan’s performance has been commendable in this T20 World Cup as they had another close encounter with New Zealand earlier this Sunday.