South Africa survived a dramatic scare against Afghanistan in Ahmedabad on February 11 in their Group D clash at the 2026 FIFA T20 World Cup. The Proteas almost let the game slip away after Kagiso Rabada’s two no-balls in the final over turned the contest into a Super Over – or rather Super Overs.
A tie at the end of the 20 overs rule was followed by a tie in the first Super Over to take the match to a second decider. That was when Tristan Stubbs and David Miller took control of South Africa as they smashed 23 runs in the second Super Over and seemingly put the game out of Afghanistan’s reach.
ICC T20 World Cup, AFG vs SA Highlights | Scorecard
Just when the result looked sealed, Afghanistan opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz launched a stunning counter-attack, smashing Keshav Maharaj for three consecutive sixes to leave his side needing just five runs off the last ball. However, Maharaj held his nerve under immense pressure and dismissed Gurbaz on the last delivery to seal a thrilling victory for South Africa in what turned out to be a classic in Ahmedabad.
In the post-match press conference, South African batsman Ryan Rickelton reflected on the contest and admitted how draining such a result can be after both teams gave it their all.
“Cricket sucks. That’s the number one thought, I think. Yeah, I mean, yeah, it was an exciting game. I don’t really have a lot of words to describe it. We were just really upset that we got over the line in the end,” Rickelton said.
A DAY OF HORRORS FOR KAGISO RABAD
Asked about Rabad’s difficult outing, Rickelton said the fast bowler will get some space before the team rallies around him. Rabada endured a tough night, taking two no-balls in the final over of the match and later spilling a catch on the boundary during the Super Over.
Had it not been for the moment when Fazalhaq Farooqi lost his brain on the last ball of Afghanistan’s innings, South Africa might have lost the match.
“No, KG, we’ll give him some time, but we’ll hug him. We’ll probably get him a few drinks later. And yeah, he’s one of us in everything, so he’ll always be there,” Rickelton said.
With the win over Afghanistan, South Africa effectively secured their place in the Super 8 stage of the competition. Barring any major upsets in the remaining matches, South Africa along with New Zealand are expected to progress from Group D to the next stage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup T20.
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Issued by:
Kingshuk Kusari
Published on:
February 11, 2026