Ahmedabad: South Africa ended their ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 league stage campaign on a victorious note after beating a spiritted Afghanistan by five wickets at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Friday.
First, South African bowlers dished out a clinical show as they bundled out Afghanistan for 244 and then chased the target with a huff and puff in 47.3 overs.
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- 9.48 pm
Back-to-back sixes from Phehlukwayo over on-side and South Africa concludes the game with five wickets with 15 balls to spare. - 9.30 pm
Phehlukwayo thumps a maximum over a wide long-off against Naveen ul Haq and South Africa are moving towards the target hastily. - 9.19 pm
Although van der Dussen is playing a stellar knock, a run-a-ball chase is on the cards for South Africa and the game might go down the wire. - 9.09 pm
Van der Dussen and Phehlukwayo are now building a partnership to stage a recovery and South Africa are just few runs away from victory. - 8.59 pm
Rassie van der Dussen and David Miller have taken the game deep. - 8.23 pm
Rashid Khan struck for the second time, this time removing Heinrich Klaasen (10 off 13 balls) in the 28th over as South Africa slipped to 139/4. Rassie van der Dussen was joined by David Miller. - 8.00 pm
Rashid Khan's sharp leg-spin delivery bamboozles Aiden Markram and so South Africa are three down now. - 7.50 pm
Van der Dussen whacked a six over wide long-on for six and South Africa are now heading for an easy win in the game. - 7.37 pm
Rassie van der Dussen and Aiden Markram have the task of rebuilding the South African innings. After 17 overs, South Africa is 83/2 and needs 162 runs in 33 overs with the required run rate at just 4.88. - 7.29 pm
Mohammad Nabi bowls a full-length delivery and Quinton de Kock fails in his attempt to play a reverse sweep. The ball has hit his pads and a successful review from the bowling side sends the South African wicketkeeper back to the pavillion. - 7.20 pm
Mujeeb ur Rehman provides a breakthrough for Afghanistan as Temba Bavuma tried to pull a short delivery but gets caught at deep midwicket. - 7.08 pm
Bavuma takes on Nabi as he moves toward the stumps and lofts one towards the leg side for a boundary. - 6.58 pm
Temba Bavuma hits a boundary against Naveen-ul-Haq as the South African skipper hits a pull against a short delivery. - 6.48 pm
Afghanistan are searching for the first wicket even as Quinton de Kock is looking in his elements. South Africa has raced to 24/0 after 5 overs. Temva Bavuma is playing second fiddle. - 6.38 pm
South African openers Quinton De Kock and Temba Bavuma gave the side a steady start as they were poised at 6/0 after two overs. - 6.01 pm
Afghanistan was bundled out for 244 in 50 overs after Naveen-Ul-Haq (2) was run out on the final balls of the innings. Azmatullah Omarzai remained unbeaten on 97 off 107 balls with seven boundaries and three sixes. His innings has helped the Jonathan Trott-coached side at least go past the 240-run mark. - 5.51 pm
Gerald Coetzee picked up another two wickets as he dismissed Noor Ahmed (26) and Mujeeb-ur-Rahman (8) in quick succession as they were reeling at 243/9 after 49 overs. Azmatullah Omarzai moved into his 90s. - 5.30 pm
Afghanistan have neared the 200-run mark and will be looking to add as many runs as possible in the last five overs. - 5.11 pm
Noor Ahmad and Azmatullah have scored one boundary each against Phehlukwayo and the duo is looking set their foot on the pedestal to steer the scoreboard. - 5.02 pm
Rashid Khan also walks back to the dugout as he tries to play a pull but gets a top edge in the process and Afghanistan are now on verge of an innings collapse. - 4.57 pm
Azamtullah Omarzai completes his fifty and Afghanistan but Afghanistan are suffering a innings collapse. - 4.47 pm
150 was Afghanistan in the 35th over as Omarzai and Rashid Khan are rebuilding the innings. Omarzai is nearing his half-century. - 4.16 pm
It was then Lungi Ngidi turn to join the party as he sent back Mohammed Nabi ( 2 off 3 balls), who edged to wicket-keeper Quinton de Kock. Afghanistan lost their sixth wicket inside 28 overs. South Africa was on the top while Azhatmatullah Omarzai, who was waging a lone battle, was joined by all-rounder Rashid Khan. - 4.04 pm
Right-arm quick Gerald Coetzee bowls a full delivery outside off and Ikram Akhil (12) poked at the ball nicking it to towards the wicketkeeper. - 3.54 pm
Ikram Ailkhil is at the crease now and he will look forward build the innings with Azmatullah Omarzai - 3.48 pm
Lungi Ngidi strikes as Rahamat Shah plays a sqaure cut to a short off length delivery and David Miller takes an easy catch at backward point. - 3.30 pm
Rahmat Shah and Azmatullah Omarzai have so far added 43 runs for the unbroken fourth wicket and steadied the Afghanistan ship. - 3.15 pm
Rahmat Shah and Azmatullah Omarzai are trying to rebuild the Afghanistan innings after the side suffered three early blows. Keshav Maharaj is continuing from one end. - 3.00 pm
Skipper Hashmat Shahidi (2) was the next man to walk back to the pavilion. Keshav Maharaj struck for the second time. Shahidi's outside edge was caught by de Kock. Afghanistan lost three wickets in five runs. - 2.53 pm
Ibrahim Zadran was the next man to be dismissed after he was removed by Gerald Coetzee. Zadran made 15 off 30 balls before being caught by Quinton De Kock. - 2.48 pm
Keshav Maharaj (25 off 22 balls) removed Rahmanullah Gurbaz after he was caught by Heinreich Klaasen in the slip cordon. Maharaj has got the rid of the dangerous Gurbaz. South Africa lost their first wicket for 41. - 2.42 pm
Afghanistan openers Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran have upped the ante and are now taking on the South African bowlers with gusto. - 2.29 pm
Lungi Ngidi walks back to the dressing room after struggling with his left anckle. Markram will complete his over, bowling three balls. - 2.20 pm
Two good overs for South Africa here. Only six runs have come in the last two overs as they found the right line and length to bowl on this pitch. - 2.10 pm
Afghanistan had two good overs upfront as they score 12 runs of the first two overs. Keshav Maharaj dropped the centurion of the last match Ibrahim Zadran on 11 runs. - 2.00 pm
Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran are opening the innings for Afghanistan. Right-arm pacer Kagiso Rabada is now on the attack with a new ball in hand. - 1.35 pm
Playing XI
Afghanistan: Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi(c), Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Ikram Alikhil(w), Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Noor Ahmad, Naveen-ul-Haq
South Africa: Quinton de Kock(w), Temba Bavuma(c), Rassie van der Dussen, Aiden Markram, Heinrich Klaasen, Andile Phehlukwayo, David Miller, Gerald Coetzee, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi - 1.30 pm
Afghanistan skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi won the toss and elected to bat first.
AFG vs SA Head to Head World Cup records:
Matches Played: 1
South Africa won: 1
Afghanistan won: 0
Tied/ No result: 0
Interesting facts:
Afghanistan and India are the only two teams, which have not conceded 300+ runs in the tournament so far, while Pakistan and the Netherlands have conceded 300 + thrice, Australia, New Zealand, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka twice, and England and South Africa once.
Pitch report:
The Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad is expected to offer a slight advantage to pacers. The larger boundary sizes allow bowlers to strategically utilise 'length' deliveries and exploit the field. There have been some decent scores made at the venue, while the bowlers have been able to keep the scoring rate under check. Out of three ODI matches played here in the ongoing tournament, never a side has been able to cross 300, which shows the balance the surface offers.
Weather report:
Weather in Ahmedabad are set to be Hazy, as there is a little possibility of rain forecast by the weather department. The maximum temperature expected is around 34 degrees and the mercury can dip to 18 degrees, later in the night. A windspeed of 5 km per hour and 60% of humidity is the expected forecast during the match.
