Miller the killer in Super Over bash

Cometh the hour, cometh the man David Miller

There was nothing a beleaguered Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan could have done

South Africa held its nerve to beat Afghanistan in a heart-stopping edge-of-the-seat Super Over in their group stage match of the Men’s T20 Cricket World Cup in Ahmedabad, India yesterday.

Both teams tied the scores at 187 each at the end of the 20 overs and even a first set of the Super Over had the scores tied at 17 each.

But the South Africans and many others would have betted on a win for the African nation who made 23 runs in the second set of the Super Over that turned out into an epic climax.

Co-opener David Miller struck two bludgeoning sixes in making 16 facing four balls after his partner Tristan Stubs hit the first ball for a six and sneaked across for a single to have Miller with the sword in his hand.

Taking up the challenge of the Super Over, Afghanistan lost opener Mohammad Nabi without scoring in the second ball bowled by spinner Keshav Maharaj caught at cover point by David Miller that made the South Africans believe the match was in their bag.

But Rahmanullah Gurbaz struck three straight sixes in the following three balls and benefitted with a sixth ball Wide making the scores 19. Needing five more runs in the last ball the South Africans were either at the threshold of losing or Afghanistan in a do or die corner.

But Maharaj in his sixth delivery had Rahmanullah Gurbaz caught in the covers by Miller much to the relief and delight of the South Africans who went into the match after making 213 and crushing Canada by 57 runs in their opening match on Monday.

Before the Super Over, Quinton de Kock (59) and Ryan Rickelton (61) took South Africa to a total of 187 for 6 in the 20 overs with a stand of 114 runs for the second wicket in just 10.1 overs.

The pair accounted for 10 fours and seven sixes.

In pursuit of the target Afghanistan fell at the post finishing on par 187 with South Africa when their last man Fazalhaq Farooqi was run-out without facing a ball leaving Noor Ahamed stranded on 15.

Afghanistan may have needed opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz at the crease to finish off the match before any Super Over, but by that time he was back in the pavilion for a top score of 84 after demolishing the bowlers with seven sixes before being dismissed with the total at 121 for 4 in the 13th over.

Scores:

South Africa 187 for 6 in 20 overs (Quinton de Kock 59, Ryan Rickelton 61, Dewald Brevis 23, David Miller 20 not out, Marco Jansen 16, Azmatullah Omarzai 3 for 41, Rashid Khan 2 for 28)

Afghanistan 187 in 19.4 overs (Rahmanullah Gurbaz 84, Azmatullah Omarzai 22, Rashid Khan 20, Lungi Ngidi 3 for 26)

Super Over:

South Africa 23/0 in 1 over (David Miller 16 not out)

Afghanistan 19/2 in 1 over (Rahmanullah Gurbaz 18, Keshav Maharaj 2 for 19)