T20 World Cup: Afghanistan opt to bowl against South Africa
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T20 World Cup: Afghanistan opt to bowl against South Africa


In a T20 World Cup game for the ages, South Africa somehow managed to get past a plucky Afghanistan after two wildly oscillating Super Overs on Wednesday (February 11, 2026).

T20 World Cup: Afghanistan opt to bowl against South Africa

Ryan Rickelton (61 off 28) and Quinton de Kock (59 off 41) put together a brilliant century stand with quickfire fifties to power South Africa to 187 for six.

Rahmanullah Gurbaz (84 off 42) then singlehandedly kept Afghanistan in the run chase before some lusty hitting from the lower-order helped them tie the game in regulation time.

Also Read: T20 World Cup | One variation at a time, Mujeeb redefines the PowerPlay roles

What followed was an incredible sequence of two Super Overs with fortunes swinging either way after every ball. In the first Super Over, Azmatullah Omarzai struck Lungi Ngidi for two fours and a six to help Afghanistan post 17 runs, but Tristan Stubbs hit two sixes off Fazalhaq Farooqi including off the last ball to force another Super Over.

Coming in to bat in the second Super Over, Davis Miller and Tristan Stubbs struck three sixes to notch up 23 runs, a steep target which was made to look very gettable by Rahmanullah Gurbaz. The opening batter smashed seasoned left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj for three consecutive sixes before getting out to complete a sensational finish.

In regulation time, the Afghans started aggressively in the run chase before losing the plot but some brilliant hitting from Omarzai, Rashid and Noor Ahmad coupled with a disastrous final over from Kagiso Rabada, in which he gave away two no balls, cost South Africa dearly.

Also Read | From Afghanistan to Alandur: How Chepauk came alive for the T20 World Cup

Afghanistan made a bright start to their chase, with Gurbaz (84 off 42; 4x4s, 7x6s) smashing Ngidi for two fours in the opening over.

Gurbaz continued with his attacking approach, ramping Marco Jansen over the slips for aa maximum and then hitting Rabada over the third man fence.

George Linde gave away 17 runs in his opening over as Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran took the attack to the opposition to race to 50 in just four overs.

But Ngidi put brakes on the scoring, scalping two wickets in the fifth over in the form of Zadran, who was cleaned up, and then accounting for Gulbadin Naib a ball later with the pacer taking a brilliant return catch.

Gurbaz, however, was in ominous form as he dispatched Linde for two sixes in the eight over to bring up his fifty in 26 balls, lifting Afghanistan to 93 for 3 in 10 overs.

Gurbaz was going great guns before twin blows in the 13th over changed the complexion of the match. Omarzai (22 off 17) and Rashid (20 off 12) kept Afghanistan in the hunt before Noor Ahmed (15 not out off 9) struck two big sixes to bring down the bring the equation to 13 off the last six balls.

South Africa looked to have pocked the match in the first ball of the last over dismissing Ahmad, only for a ill-timed no ball from Rabada, and the batter punished the Proteas clearing the bowler for a maximum.

Rabada bowled another no ball in the fourth delivery before Ahmad was run out going for the winning run as the match finished on level scores, forcing Super Over.

Earlier, South Africa were dealt an early blow in the form off skipper Aiden Markram (5).

De Kock broke the shackles in the fourth over, clearing Mujeeb ur Rahman over the fence and then followed it up with a four. Rickelton then joined the party, hitting Omarzai (3/41) for two boundaries as South Africa managed just 43 for 1 in the powerplay.

Both De Kock and Rickelton pressed the accelerator button thereafter, taking on the spin duo of Mohammad Nabi and Rashid (2/28) with some lusty hits.

Ahmad was taken to task by the duo as the spinner gave away 23 runs in his first over.

The onslaught continued as De Kock brought up his fifth T20 World Cup fifty with a boundary off Mujeeb and then Rickelton added salt to the bowler’s wound with a maximum to score a quality fifty of just 23 balls.

It took some brilliance from Rashid and poor shot selection to break the dangerous-looking partnership with both de Kock and Rickelton departing in the 13th over.

Rashid first accounted for De Kock, caught at deep midwicket by Ibrahim Zadran and then a ball later the Afghan skipper trapped Rickelton plumb in front of the wicket with a quicker delivery that skidded on after pitching.

Scoreboard

Afghanistan: Rahmanullah Gurbaz c George Linde b Keshav Maharaj 84 Ibrahim Zadran b Lungi Ngidi 12 Gulbadin Naib c and b Lungi Ngidi 0 Sediqullah Atal c Marco Jansen b Kagiso Rabada 0 Darwish Rasooli run out (George Linde/Quinton de Kock/Keshav Maharaj) 15 Azmatullah Omarzai c Tristan Stubbs b Lungi Ngidi 22 Mohammad Nabi c Aiden Markram b George Linde 5 Rashid Khan c David Miller b Marco Jansen 20 Mujeeb Ur Rahman run out (Marco Jansen) 0 Noor Ahmad not out 15 Fazalhaq Farooqi run out (Marco Jansen/Kagiso Rabada) 0 Extras: (LB-1, W-11, NB-2) 14 Total: (10 wickets in 19.4 overs) 187 Fall of wickets: 1-51, 2-51, 3-52, 4-121, 5-121, 6-139, 7-164, 8-169, 9-175, 10-187.

Bowling: Lungi Ngidi 4-0-26-3, Marco Jansen 4-0-42-1, Kagiso Rabada 3.4-0-38-1, George Linde 3-0-39-1, Keshav Maharaj 4-0-27-1, Aiden Markram 1-0-14-0.

Published – February 11, 2026 11:19 am IST


From Afghanistan to Alandur: How Chepauk came alive for the T20 World Cup
tioo Sports
From Afghanistan to Alandur: How Chepauk came alive for the T20 World Cup


From Afghanistan to Alandur: How Chepauk came alive for the T20 World Cup

Cricket fans at Chepauk watching the ICC T20 World Cup match between Afghanistan vs New Zealand
| Photo Credit: RAGU R

There is never a dull moment in T20 cricket. Usually associated with windy evenings, India’s floodlit stadiums come to life with nail biting encounters and bitter sporting rivalry.

So, when I trudged my way on a lazy Sunday morning to the hallowed MA Chidambaram stadium, for the New Zealand-Afghanistan match at the ongoing T20 Cricket World Cup, I envisioned a tepid encounter. But thanks to Chennai’s ‘Knowledgeable Cricket Crowd’ – a sobriquet earned over the years for the fans’ support of a good game irrespective of the playing teams – the morning was as much a spectacle as any IPL high-energy game.

Waiting patiently in line to get into the ground was Mohammad Imran, a fan who had come just a few days ago from Afghanistan. A few excited local cricket fans wanted to take selfies with him – probably because of his grand dress and turban, which make him stand out among the crowd. After posing for a few pictures, he told me that he was here for a couple of days to take in the cricket frenzy, apart from a bit of sight seeing. “It’s great to see the support for cricket here. I even saw quite a bit of support for the Afghan team which was quite heartening,” he said, adding that Afghanistan’s good showing in the previous World Cup has led to a rise in interest in the game back home.

If Imran came all the way from Afghanistan, 25-year-old Ramana arrived from Alandur, taking the Metro to get here. I caught him bargaining for a New Zealand T-shirt from one of the many roadside shops that spring to life at the periphery of the stadium during match days. “Akka, Santner T-shirt kudunga (give me the T-shirt with the lettering ‘Santner’),” he says, referring to the New Zealand captain and former Chennai Super Kings allrounder.

Daryl Mitchell of New Zealand and Rashid Khan of Afghanistan during the ICC T20 World Cup match at MAC Stadium in Chennai

Daryl Mitchell of New Zealand and Rashid Khan of Afghanistan during the ICC T20 World Cup match at MAC Stadium in Chennai
| Photo Credit:
RAGU R

What’s the score?

Inside, Chepauk has a vibe and breeze that defies the laziness associated with Sunday mornings. I enter the KMK Stand to see a stadium that brandishes a new look – the MA Chidambaram stadium recently underwent a major renovation that includes a new outfield and pitch, besides upgraded infrastructure. At the ICC Hospitality boxes, you can sip drinks or munch on delicious food even as you watch the game – thanks to a partnership between Marriott Bonvoy and the International Cricket Council (ICC) that provides a premium world-class experience for fans.

Chennai dearly loves its cricket. Which probably explains the fascination for a New Zealand-Afganistan clash; Chepauk reportedly had more than 20,000 fans watching the action, a somewhat sizeable number for a match that does not involve the host team. Thanks to the presence of international stars who have a city connection – Kiwi players like Mitchell Santner, Rachin Ravindra and Daryl Mitchell have been associated with the IPL franchise Chennai Super Kings in the past – there was considerable excitement in the stands.

I caught a couple of young fans trying to draw Santner’s attention as he walked out for some fielding practice; ‘Santner sir, Santner sir,” they shouted, even as the bespectacled Kiwi acknowledged them with a gentle nod and smile. That nod and smile stayed with him till the very end, even as New Zealand triumphed, despite Afghanistan – led by popular spinner Rashid Khan – trying their best. As the two teams made their way back to the dressing rooms, the Sunday morning lethargy had disappeared. Walking out, I knew this would not be my last such day at Chepauk.

Feast for the fans

Marriott Bonvoy and the International Cricket Council (ICC) have signed a strategic partnership which will see Marriott International’s travel platform appointed the Official Accommodation Partner for ICC through to 2029. Through this partnership, fans will get to experience new hospitality offerings at select venues around the world. It will cover all ICC Men’s events over the next four years, including the ongoing T20 World Cup being held in India and Sri Lanka and other important events in 2027’s cricketing calendar like the World Test Championship Final in the United Kingdom and World Cup in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia. “Cricket’s dominance as a sport has the power to unite fans across different countries. The partnership will allow us to push the boundary and deepen engagement in India, Australia, New Zealand and Sri Lanka where the love for cricket runs deep,” said Rajeev Menon, president, Asia Pacific excluding China, Marriott International, in a press release.

Published – February 09, 2026 03:48 pm IST