South Africa won, then lost, then lost again before ultimately winning of the most ridiculous T20 World Cup matches ever in a second super over against Afghanistan in Ahmedabad.
The two teams could not be split on 187, and then they both compiled 17 in the first super over but the Proteas’ tally of 23 in the second decider was eventually enough to clinch the win despite a massive scare.
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Tristan Stubbs and David Miller went ballistic, smacking three sixes between them, but once again Afghanistan came back from the dead to threaten to add another chapter to South Africa’s history of World Cup collapses.
Rahmanullah Gurbaz, who made 84 from 42 balls in Afghanistan’s run chase, launched spinner Keshav Maharaj for a hat-trick of sixes to keep the game alive after a dot and wicket started the second super over.
Maharaj then bowled a wide to reduce the target to five runs to win off one ball, and put South African hearts in mouths.
The veteran executed the wide yorker the second time, however, and Gurbaz hit a catch to point to end the match in thrilling fashion.
Neither team seemed to want to win the Group D contest at times with the Proteas botching the later stages of Afghanistan’s run chase of their total of 6/187 before the Afghans returned the favour with a suicidal run to secure a tie.
Afghanistan then appeared set to knock over South Africa in a T20 international for the first time when the Proteas needed 11 runs to win off three balls in the first super.
Stubbs hit a low full toss for six off the last ball of the over to level the scores at 17 apiece send the match to a second super over.
Dewald Brevis launched a massive six over mid-wicket earlier in the over, but was dismissed the following ball and South Africa appeared to be in trouble when they were left needing 11 off three balls.
Stubbs stepped up, however, squirting a bottom edge past the keeper for four and then facing a dot before coming up clutch with the final ball six.
SCORECARD: All the scores from South Africa v Afghanistan
Sixteen balls earlier, both sides were shaking hands with South Africa appearing to claim a 12-run win after Noor Ahmed hit Kagiso Rabada straight to cover on the first ball of the final over.
But the players were called back with replays showing Rabada had overstepped and things only got more chaotic from then on.
Rabada bowled a wide before the eventual free hit was struck to long off, but Ahmad turned down the single to keep No.11 Fazalhaq Farooqi at the non-striker’s end.
The decision paid off immediately as Ahmad launched a short ball over square leg for six to reduce the equation to just five to win from four balls.
The next ball there was a mix-up as Ahmad set off for a run after hitting the ball to long on but turned back when he realised a two was not on the cards.
The next delivery he did the two he was after wide of long on, but the Afghans received another gift as Rabada once again over stepped.
Two to win off three balls with a free hit was the scenario, and the Proteas appeared dead and buried.
But Afghanistan had their own moment of madness as Farooqi tried to comeback for a second and was run out at the bowler’s end, forcing a super over.
Lungi Ngidi was then tasked with bowling the super over, but the quick was off the mark early in the over.
Azmatullah Omarzai slapped the first ball behind point to the boundary and then just cleared long off the next delivery to move the total to ten from two balls.
After back-to-back singles, Rabada was in the game once again but he was unable to hold on to an excellent diving effort on the rope and another four was conceded.
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Earlier in the game, South Africa posted 6/187 from their 20 overs after losing the toss.
Half-centuries to Ryan Rickelton (61) and Quinton de Kock (59) were the cornerstones of the Proteas’ innings.
While Omarzai, who was Afghanistan’s hero of the super over with the bat, picked up three wickets with the ball, finishing with 3/41 from his four overs.
In reply, Gurbaz’s 84 led the way for Afghanistan as Ngidi picked up 3/26.
Afghanistan’s defeat could make it difficult for them to get out of this World Cup’s group of death after making the Super 8s last edition two years ago.
With New Zealand having won two matches already and only the top two of each group advancing, Afghanistan could be facing an early exit.
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