South Africa National Cricket Team vs Afghanistan National Cricket Team Standings: South Africa kept their Super 8 hopes alive in Group D of the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup with a dramatic double Super Over win over Afghanistan on Wednesday. Rahmanullah Gurbaz’s three sixes nearly turned the game, but Keshav Maharaj’s final-ball wicket secured a thrilling victory for the Proteas.
The result leaves New Zealand and South Africa at the top of Group D, both with four points from two matches. Afghanistan, with zero points after defeats to both New Zealand and South Africa, face an uphill battle to progress. They must win their remaining matches against the UAE and Canada and rely on losses by either New Zealand or South Africa, along with a superior net run rate, to claim the second qualifying spot.
With back-to-back wins, South Africa are well-positioned for the Super 8, while Afghanistan’s path to the next stage is now extremely narrow.
ICC T20 World Cup 2026 – Group D Points Table
| POS | TEAM | PLAYED | WON | LOST | N/R | TIED | NET RR | POINTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Zealand | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | +1.919 | 4 |
| 2 | South Africa | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | +1.425 | 4 |
| 3 | Afghanistan | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | -0.555 | 0 |
| 4 | United Arab Emirates | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | -2.763 | 0 |
| 5 | Canada | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | -2.850 | 0 |