Rahmanullah Gurbaz Tears Up After Getting No Support from Teammates as Afghanistan Lose Double Super-Over Thriller to South Africa

Rahmanullah Gurbaz topped the 2024 T20 World Cup scoring charts, amassing 281 runs across eight games for Afghanistan at an average of 35.12.

Rahmanullah Gurbaz Tears Up After Getting No Support from Teammates as Afghanistan Lose Double Super-Over Thriller to South Africa

Rahmanullah Gurbaz was left teary-eyed following Afghanistan's defeat to South Africa. (via NDTV Sports)

In Short
  • Rahmanullah Gurbaz was visibly emotional after Afghanistan's defeat in a double super-over match against South Africa.
  • Afghanistan's loss significantly diminishes their chances of advancing to the Super Eight stages of the 2026 T20 World Cup.
  • Captain Rashid Khan praised his team's effort but acknowledged missed opportunities in the crucial moments of the match.

The 2026 ICC T20 World Cup has been full of surprises, with the South Africa-Afghanistan encounter at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad being no less. The contest was decided in a second super-over, with Rahmanullah Gurbaz teary-eyed after his team’s defeat.

A team that only achieved ICC Full Member status in 2017, Afghanistan has seen its stakes rise over the past few years. During the 2024 T20 World Cup, they unexpectedly made it to the semi-finals by beating powerhouses like New Zealand and Australia. It was the closest Afghanistan came to winning a major ICC tournament until they were humiliated by South Africa in the penultimate encounter. 

After losing the 2026 T20 WC opener to New Zealand by five wickets, Afghanistan faced off against the Proteas in Ahmedabad. South Africa managed to put up a first innings total of 187/6, courtesy half-centuries from Ryan Rickelton and Quinton de Kock. Chasing 188, Rahmanullah Gurbaz kept his side in the hunt, hitting 84 runs off 42 balls with the help of four fours and seven sixes, until his dismissal by Keshav Maharaj. 

South Africa seemed on track for victory after securing quick wickets towards the end, but Noor Ahmed‘s brisk 15 runs off nine balls revived the excitement. With two runs needed off the last three balls, Fazalhaq Farooqi, however, was run out, resulting in the match ending in a tie.

Azmatullah Omarzai helped the Afghans get 17 runs in the first super-over, which also ended in a tie following big hits from Dewald Brevis and Tristan Stubbs. In the second super-over, the Proteas this time, set a formidable target of 24 runs.

After Mohammad Nabi was dismissed off the second ball without scoring a run, Gurbaz then walked onto the pitch, and hit three consecutive sixes to bring his side back into the fray. However, with five required off the last ball, he could not clear the fence, and was caught out by David Miller. Gurbaz was left distraught as he walked back to the dugout with tears in his eyes. He hid his face in his hands for a while, unable to process the agonising defeat. 

The defeat all but ended Afghanistan’s only hope of making it to the Super Eight stages. Their only hope of making it through will arrive in case NZ or SA lose to lower-ranked sides, Canada or UAE, in the remaining matches. 

Rashid Khan opens up about Afghanistan’s double super-over loss to South Africa, says “gave all the efforts”

Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan spoke after his team’s ‘unlucky’ double super-over defeat to South Africa in a must-win 2026 T20 World Cup clash, in Ahmedabad. The 27-year-old admitted that his team put in all the hard work and effort, but could not triumph in the end. 

Rashid Khan on Afghanistan defeat
Rashid Khan opend up on Afghanistan’s double super-over defeat to South Africa. (via RevSportz)

Rashid Khan had a decent outing with the ball against South Africa, finishing with figures of 2/28 in his four-over spell. He even hit a quick-fire 20 runs off just 12 balls, but failed to see his team over the line. As the match went down to two super-overs, Khan was criticized for not taking the ball. While Fazalhaq Farooqi conceded 17 runs in the first super-over, Azmatullah Omarzai went for 23 in the second. 

Speaking after the defeat, Khan praised the Afghan players, noting that they showed great character. He praised them for having successfully restricted South Africa to a score under 200 in the first innings, and their exceptional effort on the pitch. Khan also emphasized upon the fact that the Afghanistan players do bring about the experience of having played in the IPL:

We had our opportunities. In the last Super Over as well, one ball and five runs can go either way. We could’ve been smarter… So unlucky to be on the losing side after giving everything on the ground.

On Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Khan commended the wicket-keeper batter for his performance under pressure during the chase. The 27-year-old captain conceded that Afghanistan had a chance to win the match, while finding a culprit in Fazalhaq Farooqi.

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