SA vs AFG / South Africa won the last league match – defeated Afghanistan by 5 wickets

SA vs AFG: South Africa defeated Afghanistan by 5 wickets in their last league match in the World Cup 2023. The team achieved the target of 245 runs in Ahmedabad by losing 5 wickets in 47.3 overs. Rassie van der Dussen played an unbeaten inning of 76 runs. Opener Quinton de Kock contributed 41 runs and David Miller contributed 24 runs. Mohammad Nabi and Rashid Khan got 2-2 wickets.

Afghanistan won the toss and batted first at the Narendra Modi Stadium and the team was all out after scoring 244 runs in 50 overs. Azmatullah Omarzai played an unbeaten inning of 97 runs. Gerald Cooties took 4 wickets for South Africa. Lungi Ngidi and Keshav Maharaj took 2-2 wickets.

Good start for South Africa, did not lose a single wicket in 10 overs

Chasing the target of 245 runs, the South African team had a good start. Quinton de Kock scored quickly and was supported well by captain Temba Bavuma. The team scored 57 runs without loss in 10 overs.

Gerald Cootzie took 4 wickets

Azmatullah Omarzai scored an unbeaten 97 runs, while Rahmat Shah played useful innings of 26 runs, Noor Ahmed 26, Rahmanullah Gurbaz 25 and Rashid Khan 14 runs. For South Africa, Gerald Cootzie took 4 wickets, while Keshav Maharaj and Lungi Ngidi got 2 wickets each.

Ajmat took the team to 244, but could not score a century.

Afghan batsmen performed brilliantly in the death overs. After Rashid's dismissal, Azmatullah Omarzai made important partnerships of 44 runs with Noor Ahmed (26 runs) and 22 runs with Mujeeb Ur Rehman. He returned unbeaten after scoring 97 runs and missed scoring his first century. The team scored 71 runs after losing 3 wickets in the last 10 overs.

Shah, Ajmat and Rashid crossed 150, the team lost 5 wickets in making 132.

The middle overs of the innings were in the name of South African bowlers, although Rahmat Shah 26 and Rashid Khan 14 played short but useful innings. Rahmat made an important partnership of 49 runs with Azmatullah Omarzai and 44 runs with Rashid. On the basis of these partnerships the team could cross the 150-run mark. After the 40th over the team's score was 173/7.

Earlier, after making 41/2 in the powerplay, the team lost wickets at regular intervals, after losing the wicket of Mohammad Nabi at 116 runs, it seemed that the Afghan team would be all out early, but Rashid Khan formed a partnership with Azmatullah Omarzai. By doing this, the score went forward. Afghan fielders missed the opportunity to run out Azmatullah in the 23rd over, when they were playing on 21 runs.

Afghanistan had a bad start in the powerplay.

Afghanistan did not have a good start. The team lost two wickets in the first powerplay. Team's opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz was out on the first ball of the 9th over and Ibrahim Zadran was out on the third ball of the 10th over. The team scored 41 runs after losing two wickets in the first 10 overs.

Playing 11 of both teams

South Africa: Temba Bavuma (captain), Quinton de Kock, Rassie van der Dussen, Aiden Markram, Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller, Andile Felukwayo, Keshav Maharaj, Lungi Ngidi, Kagiso Rabada, Gerald Coetzee.

Afghanistan: Hashmatullah Shahidi (captain), Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmat Shah, Mohammad Nabi, Azmatullah Omarzai, Ikram Alikhil (wk), Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rehman, Noor Ahmed and Naveen Ul Haq.