Synopsis
South Africa dominated their ICC Champions Trophy opener with a 107-run win over Afghanistan, thanks to Ryan Rickelton's maiden ODI century and a stellar bowling performance led by Kagiso Rabada.Key Takeaways
- South Africa's strong batting performance, led by Ryan Rickelton's century.
- Clinical bowling from Kagiso Rabada and teammates.
- Afghanistan struggled to gain momentum throughout the match.
- South Africa's victory marked a successful start to their Champions Trophy campaign.
- Rahmat Shah's valiant effort was the highlight for Afghanistan.
Karachi, Feb 21 (NationPress) South Africa kicked off their ICC Champions Trophy journey with an impressive 107-run victory against Afghanistan during a Group B clash at the National Stadium. A remarkable first ODI century from Ryan Rickelton and a precise bowling performance allowed South Africa to end their recent ODI losing streak in style.
This match recorded the highest aggregate score (523) involving South Africa and Afghanistan in ODIs.
Batting first, South Africa set a challenging total of 315/6, driven by a phenomenal 103 from opener Ryan Rickelton. Following his excellent performances in SA20 and the New Year’s Test versus Pakistan, the left-hander played a pivotal role in stabilizing the innings. He received support from half-centuries by captain Temba Bavuma (58), Rassie van der Dussen (50), and Aiden Markram (52*), helping the Proteas to build a strong score.
Rickelton and Bavuma created a solid base with a 129-run partnership after an initial slump. Bavuma, who started cautiously, began to accelerate before falling for 58 to Mohammad Nabi. Rickelton achieved his century in 106 balls before departing shortly after, paving the way for the middle order to capitalize. Although Afghanistan's spinners managed to regain control during the middle overs, late contributions from Markram and David Miller ensured South Africa reached a total that proved unattainable for Afghanistan.
Chasing a daunting target of 316, Afghanistan struggled to find their rhythm as South Africa's pace attack set the tone from the beginning. Marco Jansen and Lungi Ngidi applied disciplined lines and sharp bounce, placing Afghanistan under early pressure. Unlike previous matches where the Karachi pitch offered some swing under the lights, the surface remained flat, requiring the fast bowlers to adjust with back-of-a-length deliveries and short balls.
Rahmanullah Gurbaz had a rough start, enduring a painful hit from Jansen before falling for 10 to a well-directed short ball by Ngidi in the fifth over. Ibrahim Zadran tried to accelerate with a six off Rabada but was soon dismissed by a blazing 148.3 kph delivery that shattered his middle stump. Sediqullah Atal struggled during his innings, falling victim to an outstanding direct hit from Jansen. Captain Hashmatullah Shahidi followed shortly after, miscuing a shot off Wiaan Mulder, leaving Afghanistan in a precarious position at 51/4 after 15 overs.
A brief resistance came from Azmatullah Omarzai and Rahmat Shah, who attempted to stabilize the innings. However, Rabada returned in the 22nd over to dismiss Omarzai for 18, gloving a short ball to the keeper. Meanwhile, Rahmat Shah stood firm, playing an anchoring role and bringing up a fighting half-century off 62 balls, showcasing remarkable control despite the fall of wickets at the other end.
As South Africa maintained relentless pressure, Rahmat continued to score, hitting boundaries when possible. His milestone moment came with a well-placed flick between mid-on and midwicket. Despite his valiant efforts, the required run rate escalated, making the chase increasingly difficult.
The atmosphere in Karachi intensified when Rashid Khan came to bat. The crowd favorite quickly made an impact, smashing his first ball for six before hitting another over mid-on. He continued to attack Keshav Maharaj, hitting back-to-back fours in an electrifying cameo. However, his high-risk strategy backfired as Maharaj eventually had him caught at midwicket, concluding his brief yet exciting 18-run knock off 13 balls.
Rahmat Shah fought until the end, striking four consecutive boundaries in a last-ditch effort. However, wickets continued to fall around him, and he was eventually the last man out for 90 as Afghanistan was bowled out for 208 in 43.3 overs. South Africa's bowling unit was exceptional, with Rabada leading with three wickets, while Ngidi and Mulder contributed with two each.
It was a resounding win for South Africa, marking a powerful start to their Champions Trophy campaign. Their batting was anchored by Rickelton’s century, while their pacers executed a disciplined strategy to dismantle Afghanistan’s lineup. For Afghanistan, Rahmat Shah’s commendable 90 was the only highlight in an otherwise disappointing performance.
Brief scores: South Africa 315/6 in 50 overs (Ryan Rickelton 103, Temba Bavuma 58; Mohammad Nabi 2-51, Fazalhaq Farooqi 1-59) beat Afghanistan 208 all out in 43.2 overs (Rahmat Shah 90, Rashid Khan 18; Kagiso Rabada 3-36, Wiaan Mulder 2-36) by 107 runs.
