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02/11 04:21 CST South Africa edges Afghanistan in thrilling second Super Over
at T20 World Cup
South Africa edges Afghanistan in thrilling second Super Over at T20 World Cup
AHMEDABAD, India (AP) --- South Africa edged Afghanistan in a second Super Over
following a dramatic Group D game Wednesday that was tied after regulation at
cricket's Twenty20 World Cup.
Fazalhaq Farooqi's runout ended Afghanistan's chance to win it in regulation
with a ball to spare, leaving both teams tied on 187.
Afghanistan posted 17 in the first Super Over and Farooqi was in position to
win it again, restricting South Africa to 11 runs with one ball remaining until
Tristan Stubbs plundered a six to level the scores again.
South Africa batted first in the second tiebreaker, posting 23 with David
Miller and Stubbs combining for three sixes.
Keshav Maharaj gave South Africa control with a wicket and two dot balls to
start the second Super Over, leaving Afghanistan needing 24 from four balls ---
or four sixes.
Enter Rahmanullah Gurbaz. With nothing to lose, the big-hitting opener --- who
earlier blazed 84 from 42 as Afghanistan chased South Africa's target of 187-6
--- hit three consecutive sixes to get the required runs down to six off one
delivery.
A wide from Maharaj lowered the target to 5 from one delivery and raised the
prospect of yet another tiebreaker, but the South Africa spinner rebounded by
having Gurbaz caught at backward point on the next delivery. It was game over.
Lungi Ngidi, who took 3-26 during the match and then bowled the first of the
Super Overs, was voted player of the match.
"I've lost so much weight today. I've never been that stressed in my life in a
cricket game," he said. "Being able to win two Super Overs with our hitters
hitting like that ... very happy."
South Africa is 2-0 after winning its opening game over Canada. Afghanistan is
now 0-2 after an opening loss to New Zealand and unlikely to progress to the
Super Eights from a group containing three highly-ranked teams. Only the top
two teams in each of the four groups will advance.
In the second game Wednesday, an injury-depleted Australia won the toss and
elected to bat in its tournament opener against Ireland. Travis Head was
standing in as captain after Mitch Marsh was ruled out of the game. Marsh was
hit in the groin in practice earlier in the week and Cricket Australia issued a
statement just before the game saying scans showed internal testicular bleeding.
In the last game of the day, England is due to take on West Indies in Group C.
___
AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket
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