Rahmanullah Gurbaz, who started his career as a wicketkeeper batter, nearly wrote a sensational story of the most dramatic ending in T20 World Cup 2026 history when he had to lose to South Africa by a single run due to a desperate decision of his team.
SA vs AFG: ‘Double Over Magic’
With 24 required to win in a two Super Over match scenario, Gurbaz smashed three sixes in succession with the first three balls and put Afghanistan in touching range of an incredible win. The carnival like effort had seen him coming very close to sculpting together, but with only six required to win a memorable game he was dismissed on the last ball and left fans frozen at how he almost got himself an unforgettable win.
South Africa and Afghanistan were engaged in a thrilling two Super Over with both sides drawing the level at the end of the first which happened after Tristan Stubbs hit a six on the final ball and South Africa gave a target of 24 in the second Super Over. Rahmanullah Gurbaz maintained Afghanistan when the team faced a three run chase by hitting three successive sixes but was dismissed on the sixth attempt and South Africa secured the dramatic victory. This was a vital game to Afghanistan following their defeat in the first match and a second consecutive win gave South Africa a solid ground in their campaign.
Rahmanullah Gurbaz In IPL
Parallel to his increasing international exploits, Gurbaz has made a big mark in the Indian Premier League (IPL) especially with the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). He started his IPL career as a replacement player with Gujarat Titans, and was traded to KKR just before the 2023 season, where he made his debut against Punjab Kings and immediately became a regular member of the team. Gurbaz has proved to be in good form during his first seasons with the franchise (2023-2025), with a highlight being the 81 run performance against Gujarat Titans in 2023 that demonstrates his ability to hit with power and become the match changer. Even though the wicketkeeper batting position was highly contested, his role in the team was still appreciated in the 2024 season, with such players as Phil Salt competing, which explains why KKR was sure of his abilities and renewed his contract in 2025 at INR 2 crore.
The bond between Gurbaz and KKR also reached new levels when the team won the 2024 IPL title when Gurbaz provided significant knocks out of which he contributed 39 runs in the final that made KKR win the title and gave the franchise a third championship title in its history. His combination of violent hitting, athletic wicket keeping and brave execution, still makes him one of the thrilling young superstars in both international and franchise cricket.
Also Read: T20 World Cup 2026: Sanju Samson Receives Backing as Abhishek Sharma Misses India vs Namibia Match
