It was quite the comedy of errors, as the T20 World Cup delivered us one of the most entertaining contests that will go down in history today in Ahmedabad.

Rashid Khan won the toss, and let the Proteas in to bat at his IPL home ground.

Fazalhaq Farooqi began well, as Aiden Markram struggled for timing. The South African captain fell in the third over, but following a relatively sedate Powerplay, Quinton de Kock and Ryan Rickelton stepped on the gas.

Both the left-handed wicketkeeper-batters put on a show with several boundaries and sixes off the strong Afghan spin attack. Noor Ahmed was taken for 23 runs in his first over, and the duo added 114 runs between them.

But it was the man of the moment, Rashid Khan, who had the last laugh. He had de Kock holing out to deep midwicket, and Rickelton trapped plumb in his third over. Soon after, Dewald Brevis and David Miller couldn’t quite get it going. After a few quiet middle overs, Brevis was the next to go. Azmat Omarzai would get a second wicket when Tristan Stubbs scooped to short fine leg.

Fortunately, David Miller and Marco Jansen managed 28 from the final 2 overs, and SA had 187/6 at halftime. Around the 12th over, 200 looked reachable, but Afghanistan managed to pull things back brilliantly.

Afghanistan’s chase got off to a bright start, as Rahmanullah Gurbaz punished Lungi Ngidi and Marco Jansen in the first couple of overs. Ibrahim Zadran joined the fun when George Linde was introduced, but Ngidi returned to strike twice in the 5th over to jolt the momentum.

Kagiso Rabada created more problems, as Sediqullah Atal was out caught, but Darwish Rasooli proved a competent partner for the big-hitting Gurbaz.

As much as SA created pressure, Gurbaz was on a roll, especially against spin. He was relatively more careful against Maharaj, but Linde and Markram got their share of tap.

However, a brilliant grab from Linde at short third would once again open the floodgates. Rasooli got run out, and Mohammed Nabi gave a catch to Markram at point, making Afghanistan 6 down.

The game once again twisted and turned, with a couple of cameos from Azmat Omarzai and Rashid Khan bringing the Afghans close, but the best was saved for the last. Noor Ahmed sprang a surprise with a six off his first ball, and another in the final over, after capitalizing on a couple of no-ball reprieves from Rabada.

Afghanistan had it nearly in the bag, but Fazalhaq Farooqi was run off from the free-hit, tying the game and forcing a super over.

Lungi Ngidi, the star of the show among SA’s bowlers, got hit for 17 in the first Super Over. Azmatullah was clutch with his boundaries, and the Proteas were on the ropes once again.

But it was far from over. Farooqi had to defend 18 runs to win the game for the Afghans. A six from Dewald Brevis, followed by a four and a last-ball six from Tristan Stubbs ensured that another Super Over would happen.

This time around, there was no messing around. Stubbs began with a six over deep midwicket, but David Miller landed the telling blows on the 4th and 5th deliveries. It was 24 to defend, and the Proteas opted for Keshav Maharaj to do the honors.

Mohammed Nabi holed out to long-on after a swing and a miss, but that wasn’t the end of that. Gurbaz came in and smashed a hat-trick of sixes to potentially achieve the unthinkable. Maharaj bowled a wide under massive pressure, but the final delivery spelled a win for the men in green and gold, as the Afghan keeper picked out point.

What an absolute thriller of a game this was, and even Shakespeare couldn’t have written a better script.

SA 187/6 in 20 overs (Rickelton 61, de Kock 59 – Azmat Omarzai 4-0-41-3, Rashid Khan 4-0-28-2)

AFG 187 all out in 19.5 overs (Gurbaz 84 – Ngidi 4-0-26-3)

AFG 17/0

SA 17/1

SA 23/0

AFG 19/2