what a pulsating match ... SA Vs Afg - double Super Over

 

How exciting a game of Cricket can be !!- do you experience extreme stress thinking of the game result !!

 

Myth 1: On an Afternoon, I watch match relaxed and without any exuberance when two other teams are playing ! – I don’t think or predict results – why worry, whichever team wins !! 

Myth 2 :  T2oI – last over of the match – can go upto the last ball too – how many times your predictions at this stage can go wrong ! – max 6 times, NO, you are absolutely wrong !! 

What match it turned out to be !   T20I 3697  - 13^th  Match, Group D, Ahmedabad, February 11, 2026,  - ICC Men's T20 World Cup 

Rahmanullah Gurbaz hits a breezy 84 off 42 and when he comes to bat again !! (why !!) – 24 required of 4 – he hits – 6,6,6 and what happened next ! – a heartstopper !!  - a match with double Super Over. 

Batting first – South Africa made 187/6 aided by – Quinton de Kock 59; Ryan Rickleton 61   - chasing this, Rahmanullah Gurbah, the wicket keeper bat hit 84 off 42. 

In a match full of twist/ turns / swings and more – commentators shouted that SA has won as the catch was taken cleanly and last man - Noor Ahmad Lakanwal was out !!   Noor is no stranger – bought by CSK for whopping 10 cr in  2025 .. .. a known rabbit, has not scored a 50 in any form of Cricket – he and Fazalhaq Farooqi, the last man were at the crease.  Noor did a Dhoni in not running a single, determined to finish the match all by himself. Kagiso Rabada was the bowler, who had to defend 12 off the last pair. 

Around 15^th / 16^th over, the match appeared to be slipping out of Afghan though win was probable.  Kagiso Rabada bowled a good 17^th over – 30 were needed of last three – Afg 158/6. Ngidi bowled near perfect one, giving away 6 runs and taking a wicket, making it 24 off 12 balls.  Marco Jansen gave 13 and took 2 wickets and it boiled down to 13 from 6 balls. 

The first ball of the last over, it seemed all over – Noor Ahamed hit straight to extra cover and everyone was celebrating but the alarm sounded indicating it a no ball, giving a free hit – 12 off 6; then came a wide – the first legal deliver Noor hit to long but decided against running.  Then came a mix-up – Farooqi running mad and reaching almost the striker end, sent back … somehow not run out.  19.2 – a big swing, Noor clears deep backward square and it is a Six. 19.4 – another no ball, Noor runs 2 and now it is a much comfortable 2 off 3 and a free hit too.  Noor hits to wide long off – perhaps Farooqi was caught napping, Jansen’s throw caught him an inch or two outside – a run out – making it a Super Over.    

Super over:  Afghans bat and SA bowl !!  it was Lungi Ngidi -  Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Azmatullah Gurbaz   opening.  First ball,   Azmatullah Omarzai squeezed for four through point. Next he was able to clear the tallest man Jansen by inches and hit a 6.  3^rd ball a single; so also 4^th is.  5^th carved away over point – Rabada dived to his left, acrobatic effort, got his hand yet ball dropped and touched the ground before crossing the ropes. With a single off the last ball, it was 18 for SA to win !! 

SA opened with David Miller and Dewald Brevis. Fazalhaq Farooqi bowled.  1^st – 1; 2 Brevis hits a monstrous six; 3 – topedged to keeper; 4  Stubbs gets a luck four off the edge; 5^th a dot and .. .. with Six required  Stubbs put it over the jumping long off   

So it was Second super over  :  the playing conditions state :  Dismissed batters can't bat again. New bowlers too. Change of ends as well.  

Azmatullah Omarzai bowled - Tristan Stubbs and David Miller continued. Stubbs slogged it over midwicket for a 6; 2- single; 3 -2; 4 – Miller clears midwicket for a6; 5^th a high full toss, moved over square leg for another six and last ball 2 – now with 24 required, again match looked SA way !!   

Azmatullah Omarzai it was with Mohammad Nabi and surprisingly  Keshav Maharaj with the ball.  Nabi swung and missed the first ball, which somehow missed the stumps.  Second Nabi sliced and Miller took a brilliant catch at point. Now no further drama, as 24 required but !!  Gurbaz hit a straight six; then cleaned it almost out of the ground and 5^th ball another 6 …. .. 3 sixers of 3 balls – yet another one required which will decide the fate !!!  Ball 6  Keshav Maharaj bowled a wide .. .. opening the match, but still a 4 would not tie .. .. then a full and wide ball was hit to the hands of Miller.

 

After so many twists and turns - a pulsating finish  ……… South Africa gets full points beating Afghanistan.

 
Regards – S Sampathkumar
11.2.2026