Afghanistan effectively doubled their score against South Africa in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 in Ahmedabad, after they had once reached 116/6.
Afghanistan’s ability to finish their innings strongly after being under pressure for the majority of the match against South Africa was greatly aided by Azmatullah Omarzai’s unbeaten 97*.
For the Proteas, Gerald Coetzee (4/44) and Keshav Maharaj (2/25) were outstanding.
Match 42 between SOUTH AFRICA AND AFGHANISTAN: Afghanistan 244 (50 overs) vs. South Africa
Afghanistan’s opening batsmen provided steady support for their captain with a solid start. While there were some near misses, including Keshav Maharaj’s challenging deliveries, Afghanistan ensured that their scoring rate remained intact.
However, it was Maharaj who ultimately brought success to Proteas. On his very first delivery, he bowled Rahmanullah Gurbaz (25), who was caught in the slips by Heinrich Klaasen.
In the next over, Gerald Coetzee got Shatakveer Ibrahim Zadran out for 15 runs, after sending him back to the pavilion. Afghanistan had lost two wickets without adding any runs to their score after the first eight overs.
Wickets continued to fall as Maharaj bowled another maiden over, and this time, he had Hashmatullah Shahidi in his sights. The batsman dismissed Quinton de Kock and quickly, Afghanistan lost three wickets.
Following Rashid Khan’s dismissal, David Miller took a fantastic catch backward point, and Afghanistan lost its fourth wicket. Miller couldn’t reach the ball initially, but he made an incredible effort to catch it before it hit the ground.
Rahmat Shah and all-rounder Azmatullah Omarzai then joined forces to stabilize the innings. Scoring was slow between the 11th and 20th overs, but Afghanistan continued to move forward without further losses.
Just when this partnership was gaining momentum, Rahmat got out on a backward point delivery by David Miller. He hit the ball directly to the fielder without reaching the crease, and Afghanistan lost its third wicket.
In the next over, Lungi Ngidi dismissed Mohammad Nabi from behind the wicket, securing a second Proteas success.
Following Nabi’s dismissal, Azmatullah took the helm and aided Afghanistan in moving forward. He completed a steady half-century in the 37th over. Starting at 116/6, Azmatullah added 44 runs for the seventh wicket with Rashid Khan (14). Even after Rashid’s fall, Azmatullah continued to fight alongside positive Noor Ahmad (26).
Afghanistan’s lower-order batsmen partnered with Azmatullah in the latter part of the innings. They added 71 runs to the score, while South Africa’s bowlers made errors in line and length.
Hashmatullah Shahidi’s team, with a win against South Africa, could level the tournament with New Zealand’s five victories. However, to overtake the Black Caps’ net run rate and secure a spot in the semi-finals, they would require a victory by a margin of 438 runs or more.
