Proteas and Afghans share honors after heart-stopping Ahmedabad finish
Cricket fans witnessed an absolute cliffhanger today at the Narendra Modi Stadium as the highly anticipated South Africa vs Afghanistan T20 World Cup Group D match ended in a dramatic tie. Both teams fought tooth and nail, finishing on exactly 187 runs each in a contest that swung like a pendulum until the very final ball.
Afghanistan won the toss and elected to field, hoping to restrict the Proteas. However, South Africa came out swinging. Despite losing captain Aiden Markram early, the duo of Quinton de Kock and Ryan Rickelton stabilized the innings with aggressive stroke play. Rickelton was the standout performer, smashing a quick-fire 61 off just 28 balls, while the experienced de Kock supported him with a solid 59 off 41 deliveries.
Their partnership laid a massive foundation, allowing South Africa to post a competitive total of 187/6 in their 20 overs. For Afghanistan, Azmatullah Omarzai was the pick of the bowlers, claiming 3 wickets for 41 runs, keeping the scoring in check during the death overs.
Chasing 188 for victory, Afghanistan started with explosive intent. Opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz played a blinder, scoring a magnificent 84 runs off just 42 balls. His innings, peppered with seven boundaries and five sixes, put Afghanistan firmly in the driver’s seat. At one stage, with thelatest cricket newsfeeds predicting an easy win, the Afghan side looked set to cruise home.
However, the game turned on its head when Lungi Ngidi (3/26) ripped through the middle order. The South African bowlers held their nerve, taking wickets at crucial intervals. The drama peaked in the final over with Afghanistan needing just a few runs with one wicket in hand. In a chaotic finish, Fazalhaq Farooqi was run out on the fourth ball of the 20th over, leaving Afghanistan all out for 187.
This South Africa vs Afghanistan T20 World Cup encounter will go down as one of the most thrilling matches of the 2026 tournament, leaving fans at the Narendra Modi Stadium on the edge of their seats.
