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by IANS |
Ahmedabad, Feb 11 (IANS) South Africa pacer Lungi Ngidi admitted he had “never been that stressed” on a cricket field after the Proteas survived a dramatic double super over thriller against Afghanistan in their ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 Group D clash at the Narendra Modi Stadium.
The high-octane encounter saw South Africa post 187/6, powered by Ryan Rickleton (61) and Quinton de Kock (59), before Afghanistan matched the total thanks largely to Rahmanullah Gurbaz’s blistering 84. With the scores tied at the end of 20 overs, the contest went into a super over, and then another, before South Africa finally sealed victory.
“I've lost so much weight today. I've never been that stressed in my life in a cricket game. But I'm happy to come out on the winning side. I actually knew that I was probably going to be the option (for the Super Over). And the captain said to keep doing the same. Almost got a wicket again with the slower balls but it just wasn't to be in the Super Over,” Ngidi said during the post-match presentation, reflecting on the emotional rollercoaster.
Ngidi was candid about his own performance during the tense phases. “Let myself down in that first over. We had a plan that we were going to try and execute. It didn't go to plan. Leaked a few runs. So I just went back to what's been working for me in the past couple of months,” he said.
Afghanistan’s aggressive powerplay approach forced South Africa to adapt quickly. “With they were going I knew that they were gonna keep attacking us (in the powerplay), so it brings the slower-ball into play. The message was clear from Quinton, David and Stubbs that the ones into the wicket were gripping. So slower-balls were going to be an option,” Ngidi noted.
The first super over ended level at 17, before David Miller and Tristan Stubbs blasted 23 in the second. Gurbaz threatened to pull off the impossible with three consecutive sixes, but Keshav Maharaj held his nerve to close out the win.
"We let ourselves down a little bit in the middle there with the way we were bowling. But in the end, when I hear that type of thing, I'm kind of smiling. Captain said it was going to be a scrap but I didn't know it was going to be that much of a scrap. Being able to win two Super Overs with our hitters hitting like that. We just had to try and defend it, but very happy with that,” Ngidi stated.
He also highlighted the importance of fielding under pressure, saying, “That's a big part of T20 cricket (catching). We have seen a couple of earlier games, big dropped catches they cost you the game. So we had to make sure we are clinical in the field. And then that secures the W."
South Africa’s nerve in the decisive moments ensured they walked away with one of the most dramatic wins in T20 World Cup history.
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