SA vs AFG: Super Over(s) heartbreak leaves Afghanistan in danger of early exit

T20 World Cup 2026: Afghanistan were pushed to the brink of an early exit from the T20 World Cup as they suffered defeat in a Super Over thriller against South Africa on Wednesday, February 11.

Talk about a heart-stopper. 187 apiece. Then 17 apiece. Finally, at the bitter end, South Africa clawed through. Afghanistan came within a whisker of their first-ever ICC win over the Proteas, only to fall five runs short in a match that refused to end, stretching into a double Super Over.

AFG vs SA Highlights | Scorecard

Broadcaster Ravi Shastri, who was in the commentary box, sprinted down the stairs to soak up the electricity at the Narendra Modi Stadium. On a random Wednesday afternoon, a raucous crowd was left breathless, pushed to the absolute edge by a script no one saw coming in the Group D match of the T20 World Cup 2026.

South Africa were staring into the abyss, needing a massive seven off the final ball of the first Super Over. Step forward Tristan Stubbs, who smoked a maximum to drag the contest into a second, logic-defying tie-breaker.

The drama only intensified. The Proteas looked to have slammed the door shut after ransacking 23 runs in their six deliveries. Afghanistan’s reply started in disaster; they were reeling at 0 for 1 after just two balls, having lost the veteran cool of Mohammad Nabi.

But Rahmanullah Gurbaz—who was seeing the ball like a planet all afternoon—refused to let the flame die. He turned the final four balls into a pure, unadulterated shootout: