T20 World Cup thriller: South Africa overpower Afghanistan after two Super Overs

After the match tied with the score of 187 runs from both sides, Azmatullah Omarzai and Rahmatullah Gurbaz came to bat for Afghanistan as they managed to extract 17 runs in the first Super Over against the bowling of Lungi Ngidi.

Fazalhaq Farooqi came to bowl for Afghanistan while defending 17 runs in the Super Over. He bowled well and got the wicket of Dewald Brevis, but Tristan Stubbs hit two boundaries, including a six on the last delivery, to force another Super Over.

Stubbs and Miller batted for South Africa again, and Afghanistan gave the ball to Omarzai. Stubbs welcomed him with a six. Miller hit a couple more sixes to end the over with 23 runs.

Mohammad Nabi came to bat with Omarzai while chasing a challenging target of 24 runs. South Africa introduced spin in the Super Over and gave the ball to Keshav Maharaj. He started with a dot ball, then got the wicket of Nabi. Rahmanullah Gurbaz came to bat after that and hit back to back three sixes. With one more six needed on the final delivery, Gurbaz holed out at the point as Afghanistan lost the well-fought match.

Earlier, Afghanistan chose to bowl after winning the toss, inviting the Proteas to bat first. The South African batters weren't able to accelerate for the first three overs. Fazalhaq Farooqi drew first blood, dismissing South Africa captain Aiden Markram off a slower ball that he mistimed to mid-off.

Regardless of the early setback, Ryan Rickelton and Quinton de Kock picked up the pace, ending the powerplay at 43 for 1. The left-handed batters continued with the same temperament, taking South Africa to a total of 98/1 after ten overs.

De Kock scored 59 runs in 41 balls, becoming South Africa's highest run scorer in T20 World Cups. He now has 737 runs compared to de Villiers' 717 runs, overtaking him during the innings. Ryan Rickelton was even more destructive, scoring 61 in just 28 balls, with the help of five fours and four sixes.

Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan stalled the South African progress as he sent back both De Kock and Rickleton in the space of three balls. Tristan Stubbs failed to score big and could only make one run before Azmatullah Omarzai dismissed him.

Dewald Brevis (23 off 19 balls) and David Miller (20 not out off 15 balls) helped the Proteas maintain momentum, as Marco Jansen's 16 off seven balls took South Africa to 187/6 in 20 overs. Azmatullah Omarzai took three wickets, as Rashid Khan grabbed a brace. Fazalhaq Farooqi also picked up a wicket.

Coming to Afghanistan's innings, openers Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran started with a bang, bringing up the team's fifty in just four overs without the loss of any wickets.

Afghanistan suddenly lost two wickets of Zadran and Gulbadin Naib in the fifth over of Lungi Ngidi, with another wicket following in the next over of Kagiso Rabada, dismissing Sediqullah Atal on a duck.

Afghanistan lost three wickets within two overs, but the destructive batter Gurbaz continued to decimate the South African bowlers despite the setbacks. He was dismissed after scoring a brilliant 84 runs in only 42 balls after edging to Keshav Maharaj on short third man. After Gurbaz's dismissal, Afghanistan were 121 for 4 in the 13th over.

Skipper Rashid Khan scored a quick 20 runs of 12 balls, taking Afghanistan close to the target. With 24 runs needed in the last two overs, Jansen leaked 11 runs but got the wickets of Rashid Khan and Mujeeb Ur Rahman.

Now, 13 runs were needed in the last over, and Kagiso Rabada came to bowl. Rabada started with a no-ball and a wide, and Ahmad hit for a six on the second delivery. Rabada bowled another wide delivery as the duo ran for a double.

Now, the equation was two runs needed off three deliveries, when Farooqi fell short of the crease while taking a double and forced a Super Over. (ANI)