Maharaj goes where Rabada struggled to tread

Keshav Maharaj sought out Shukri Conrad's eyes in the dugout as the sun set on Narendra Modi Stadium. Maharaj had asked to bowl the first super over, but Lungi Ngidi was preferred. Ngidi conceded 17, as did Fazalhaq Farooqi. Cue another super over, in which Tristan Stubbs and David Miller hammered Azmatullah Omarzai for 23.

Maharaj wasn't going to let this go. He also wouldn't let Conrad's gaze go.

"Shuks, give me the ball. I want the ball."

Conrad relented. When Mohammad Nabi couldn't lay a bat on Maharaj's first delivery and slapped the second into point's hands, it looked like a genius decision. But not when Rahmanullah Gurbaz put Maharaj over long-off, long-on and mid-wicket for a hattrick of sixes. Another six and the game would be Afghanistan's.

With one delivery left, all the Afghans needed was more of what Gurbaz had done for three consecutive balls. Over to you Kesh…

…who sent down an off-side wide.

One ball still left. But now only five needed.

That prompted an internal dialogue from Maharaj: "I said, 'You know what, this is it. I'm going to my yorker.'"

He did, and all Gurbaz could do was spoon a catch to Miller at point. Game over. South Africa won.

"It shows the character of the team," Maharaj said. "In World Cups you need character to shine through in the pressure moments. It shows you how far we've come as a unit."

South Africa should never have found themselves staring that far down the barrel. Not with a bowler of Kagiso Rabada's calibre entrusted with the last of Afghanistan's 20 overs. And with 13 needed and just one wicket to get.

But even the Rabadas of the game get it wrong sometimes. Which didn't seem to have happened when Noor Ahmad lifted the first ball to cover, where Aiden Markram took the catch and celebrated. Not for long: Rabada had overstepped.

He would bowl another no-ball and a wide in the over and concede a six over square leg to Noor. Rabada redeemed himself to some degree with some snappy fielding to effect the runout of Fazalhaq Farooqi that ended the match with the scores tied.

Was Maharaj annoyed with Rabada for sparking all that drama?

"Not at all. He's a world-class performer. But a fast bowler has to run 30 metres and sometimes they do bowl a no ball. But his execution was really good in that over."

Ryan Rickelton, who scored 61 off 28 and shared 114 off 61 with Quinton de Kock, offered an earthier take on Rabada.

"We'll give KG a bit of time," Rickelton said. "We'll get our arms around him and we'll probably get a couple of drinks down him later. He's one of us and he's been through thick and thin with us."

Asked for his overall thoughts on the match, Rickelton said: "Cricket sucks. It was a cracking game. I'm just really chuffed we got it over the line in the end."

What did he feel watching the super saga unfold?

"Just anxiety. We're standing there with fingers crossed. Like, 'Come on, guys! Come on, guys!' There's more hope than anything else.

"It gives us a proper wake-up call about things you can't take for granted. Afghanistan are a serious cricket team. No-one ever took them for granted. But it's just the small things – when you have opportunities to close down games or when you have opportunities with the foot on the throats, you can't let any team back in. When you get ahead, stay ahead."

Jonathan Trott knew the feeling, having also been Afghanistan's coach when they lost a T20I to India after two super overs at the Chinnaswamy in January 2024.

"It's devastating for the guys after a tough loss a couple of years ago," Trott said. "Now again against South Africa, a tough team as well. These guys are never shy of rising up against the challenges they face throughout their lives, on and off the field.

"So they should be very proud. Obviously, these types of losses, sometimes they can hurt and sting for a while."

Trott was born in South Africa and grew up there at a time when the national team had a reputation for crumbling under pressure. Did he see that happening again on Wednesday?

"I don't think there were any signs of panic. I told Shuks I think they'll learn from that. And they'll hopefully iron out the things they want to get right."

South Africa go into their third match, against New Zealand in Ahmedabad on Saturday, buoyed by two wins in as many games. The Afghans, who have lost twice, know they will need something special to reach the Super Eights.