Afghanistan 311 for 4 (Gurbaz 105, Omarzai 86*, Rahmat 50) beat South Africa 134 (Bavuma 38, Rashid 5-19, Kharote 4-26) by 177 runs
Afghanistan asserted themselves from the get-go once they selected to bat which left South Africa to area within the worst of the warmth. Officially the temperature was 38 levels Celsius however the real-feel was within the late 40s and they didn't have any actual menace. Gurbaz and Riaz Hassan placed on 88 for the primary wicket earlier than Gurbaz and Shah shared a 101-run second-wicket stand which shaped the backbone of the Afghan innings.
South Africa's spinners, Bjorn Fortuin and Aiden Markram had been the best in preserving Afghanistan quiet and conceded 59 runs in 14 overs between them, however debutant legspinner Nqaba Peter was costly and Nandre Burger additionally conceded 68 runs. Lungi Ngidi was the choose of the seamers, significantly on the finish of the innings however South Africa lacked wicket-taking potential, which allowed Afghanistan to get away from them with their fourth and fifth wicket stands of 55 off 40 balls and 40 off 23, respectively.
Gurbaz bought issues underway with the primary boundary: a large six over long-off, off an Ngidi size ball. He adopted it up with a canopy drive for 4, after which two pull photographs off Burger brief balls to race to go from 4 off the primary 15 balls he confronted to a run-a-ball 24.
Fortuin was introduced on within the powerplay and stored his finish quiet however Burger's insistence on utilizing the brief ball didn't serve South Africa effectively early on. His first spell of 5 overs price 32 runs. He was changed by Peter, whose first over was tight. He gave away a boundary in every of his subsequent two earlier than Markam took over. Markram bought the primary wicket when he beat Hassan's inside-edge and hit him on the pad above the knee roll.
Gurbaz quietened down for a few overs however when Wiaan Mulder was introduced on within the twenty first over, he couldn't resist a cost down. He hit Mulder over long-on for his second six. What adopted was an electrical show of photographs from each Gurbaz and Rahmat in a stand that appeared to empty South Africa. Rahmat reverse paddled Markam to 3rd and flicked Mulder fantastic for 4, Gurbaz lofted Peter over mid-off, mid-wicket and swept Fortuin to deep backward sq. to edge in direction of 90.
Afghanistan's 200 was up after 36 overs, and they might have been eyeing a complete in extra of 300. Peter made it tough for them earlier than the final ten overs and picked up his first ODI wicket when he dragged his size again as Rahmat superior on him, and had Rahmat stumped on 50.
Omarzai's intent within the remaining interval was clear when he hit Mulder over long-off for six two balls into the final 10. He despatched Peter in the identical space twice, after which hit him over mid-wicket for his fourth six and the shot that introduced up his half-century, off 32 balls. Mohammad Nabi was little greater than a spectator within the 55-run stand with Omarzai however when he tried to smash an Ngidi slower ball, he skied to Bavuma to depart for 13.
That introduced Rashid to the crease and he was in instant bother, albeit not brought on by the bowlers. He hit Ngidi to sweeper cowl and ran two however pulled up on the finish of the second run with what seemed like a hamstring concern. He obtained therapy on the sector, skied the following ball he confronted, which Peter could not get to, after which held his hamstring once more. Rashid stayed with Omarzai as he took Afghanistan over 300, and any issues he had along with his health didn't present within the area.
South Africa's chase bought underway steadily with returning captain Temba Bavuma and Tony de Zorzi's opening stand of 73 in 14 overs. But Bavuma's dismissal after which Rashid's introduction into the assault sparked an almighty collapse. Bavuma top-edged a pull off an Omarzai brief ball and the excessive catch was effectively judged by Mohammed Nabi. Bavuma departed earlier than he even had an opportunity to face Rashid, who was given the ball within the 18th over and precipitated issues along with his first ball which teased Reeza Hendricks' outdoors edge. Four balls later, de Zorzi tried to drive Rashid by way of the covers however edged to Ikram Alikhil.
Stunned by spin, South Africa went into their shell and scored solely 11 runs within the subsequent 4 overs as strain constructed. When left-arm spinner Kharote was introduced on within the twenty third over, Hendricks seemed significantly out-of-sorts when he stayed again in his crease to play for flip and was bowled. In the following over, Tristan Stubbs was given out on evaluate when he gloved a sweep off Rashid to Nabi at leg slip. Two balls later, Kyle Verreynne failed to select the improper ‘un and was out lbw and Markram was left with the lower-order. Mulder was Rashid's fourth sufferer, overwhelmed as he stayed again, and Fortuin was bowled by his counterpart Kharote off one which stayed low. At 112 for 7, there was no method again for South Africa.
Rashid's fifth got here when he bowled Markram with a googly. Kharote took wickets both aspect of that to go away South Africa floored. They misplaced all ten wickets within the house of 20.3 overs.
Firdose Moonda is ESPNcricinfo's correspondent for South Africa and ladies's cricket
