Afghanistan fell just short in a thrilling double Super Over against South Africa in the T20 World Cup 2026. Rahmanullah Gurbaz’s heroics wowed fans, and the team’s fighting spirit earned widespread praise despite the heartbreaking defeat.
Rashid Khan-led Afghanistan suffered a heartbreak following a defeat in the Super Over of the T20 World Cup 2026 Group A match against South Africa at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Wednesday, February 11.
The match between South Africa and Afghanistan witnessed one of the most thrilling finishes in T20 World Cup history, as the game went not just but into Super Overs. Eventually, it was the Proteas who clinched a thrilling victory in the Super Over, as Afghanistan fell five runs short of chasing down the 24-run target in the second over.
Rahmanullah Gurbaz, who played an 84-run knock in Afghanistan’s 187-run chase, gave South Africa a serious scare with his aggressive hitting in the second Super Over, hitting three consecutive sixes before his effort went in vain as the T20 World Cup 2024 semifinalists fell short of the target and clinching historic victory.
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Afghanistan’s Fighting Spirit
Afghanistan displayed their fighting spirit in the regulation play and two Super Overs to give South Africa an unforgettable contest. In the final over of the 187-run chase, Afghanistan needed 13 runs off six balls, but fell short of the target as Kagiso Rabada’s disciplined bowling, combined with sharp fielding, restricted the visitors.
In the first Super Over, Afghanistan batted first, and Azmatullah Omarzai powered Afghanistan to 17/0, setting an 18-run target for the Proteas to chase. However, in a dramatic finish, Tristan Stubbs smashed a six off Fazalhaq Farooqui on the final ball to tie the Super Over, forcing a second tie-breaker and keeping fans on the edge of their seats.
Batting first, David Miller and Tristan Stubbs powered South Africa to 23/0 and set a challenging 24-run target for Afghanistan to chase. The onus was on Rahmanullah Gurbaz to take the team past the finishing line for a historic win.
When Afghanistan needed 18 runs off three balls, Gurbaz smashed three consecutive sixes off Keshav Maharaj and brought down the equation to 6 runs off one ball before the South Africa spinner conceded a wide. As Afghanistan's opener was looking to go for a boundary to level South Africa’s total and force another Super Over, he was caught at deep point by David Miller.
Afghanistan’s defeat despite two Super Overs chances has left their camp heartbroken, as it was a near yet far moment across three nail-biting phases of play. If Fazalhaq Farooqui had defended those seven runs off the final ball of the first Super Over or Rahmanullah Gurbaz had hit a fourth successive six off the last ball of the second, history might have favored the Afghans.
‘Afghanistan Promotes Cricket Like Nothing’
Afghanistan’s fighting spirit in all three nail-biting phases, including two Super Overs, has left the fans and cricket enthusiasts in awe of their resilience and grit. The defeat might have left the Afghanistan players heartbroken, but their courage and determination won them admiration worldwide.
Taking to their X handle (formerly Twitter), fans and cricket enthusiasts expressed their admiration and heartbreak over Afghanistan’s valiant effort, praising Rahmanullah Gurbaz’s performance and the team’s ‘never-say-die attitude’. Others were left marveled at Afghanistan’s resilience despite limited resources and legacy until other cricketing nations, noting how Afghanistan continues to promote cricket globally and challenging bigger cricketing nations with their fearless play.
With a Super Over loss against South Africa, Afghanistan are on the verge of an early exit from the T20 World Cup 2026, following back-to-back defeats and yet to win a match in the tournament.
Afghanistan will next face the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on February 16 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi, followed by the final group stage match against Canada on February 19 at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.
