T20 World Cup 2026: South Africa beats Afghanistan in 2nd super over after nail-biting contest

In one of the standout matches of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, South Africa emerged victorious over Afghanistan after a dramatic contest that went into a second Super Over at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Wednesday. Both sides finished with identical scores in regulation time, forcing the rare double Super Over finish in the tournament.

Batting first, South Africa compiled a competitive total of 187 for 6 in their 20 overs, powered by a strong top-order showing, including contributions from key batters which set up a challenging score for Afghanistan to chase. Afghanistan kept pace in the run chase and matched the Proteas’ score, finishing on 187 all out, which triggered the first Super Over. In the first Super Over, Afghanistan set 17 runs for South Africa to chase. South Africa responded under pressure, needing a boundary off the final delivery to level the scores — and they did just that, forcing a second Super Over. In the decisive mini-over, the Proteas dominated, scoring 23 runs, with standout strikes from Tristan Stubbs and David Miller, to secure the win and the full points.

The result underlines South Africa’s resilience and depth in high-pressure situations and marks one of the most thrilling finishes of the T20 World Cup so far. Afghanistan, despite their spirited performance and strong batting display, will rue missing out on a win in what was a pulsating match showcasing the excitement of the shortest format of the game.