South Africa, which has already qualified for the semi-finals, defeated Afghanistan by five wickets in its final league match of the World Cup on Friday. Afghanistan team could score only 244 runs in 50 overs after young all-rounder Azmatullah Omarzai’s unbeaten inning of 97 runs.
South Africa achieved this target by scoring 247 runs for five wickets in 47.3 overs, thanks to Rassie van der Dussen’s unbeaten inning of 76 runs in 95 balls. Van der Dussen and Andile Phelukwayo made an unbeaten 65-run partnership to take the team to victory. Phelukwayo scored 39 not out.
For Afghanistan, Omarzai continued his good form in the tournament, hitting seven fours and three sixes in 107 balls, although he missed his maiden ODI century and scored no runs off the last three balls of the final over against Kagiso Rabada at the Narendra Modi Stadium. Can make. He took over the team when it had lost six wickets for 116 runs.
The most successful bowler for South Africa was Gerald Coetzee, who took four wickets for 44 runs with one maiden in 10 overs. South Africa started well. The in-form Quinton De Kock (41 runs in 47 balls) had made his intentions clear by hitting a four and a six on Mujibur Rahman. He hit a brilliant six at square leg on Naveenul Haq.
But he could not play a big innings and was given out LBW in review on the ball of Mohammad Nabi. The poor form of captain Temba Bavuma (23 runs in 28 balls) continued, who was dismissed by Mujibur Rahman. Aiden Markram (25 runs in 32 balls) made a good start but was caught by Naveenul Haq off Rashid Khan’s ball.
Heinrich Klaasen was bowled by Rashid Khan. Then David Miller (24 runs) supported Van der Dussen and made a partnership of 43 runs. But Nabi broke it by dismissing Miller. Van der Dussen, along with Phelukwayo, ensured the team’s victory with 15 balls to spare.
Earlier, Afghanistan captain Hashmatullah Shahidi won the toss and decided to bat, after which the team got off to a good start but South Africa took three wickets within four runs and reduced the rival team’s score to 45 runs for three wickets in the 11th over.
It seemed as if Shahidi’s decision backfired on him because captain Temba Bavuma used his bowlers very well. But its fast bowler Lungi Ngidi had to leave the field due to ankle problem. He took the wickets of Rahmat Shah and Mohammad Nabi.
Rahmatullah Gurbaz (21 balls, 25 runs) hit a six over long on off Rabada and then he hit a beautiful cover drive shot on the same bowler. Gurbaz hit two fours on Coetzee.
Bavuma put Keshav Maharaj to bowl and this left arm spinner took the big wicket of Gurbaz. After this wicket, South Africa quickly took two more wickets.
There were a lot of expectations from Ibrahim Zadran, who scored a brilliant century against Australia in the last match, but he was out after giving an easy catch to De Kock off the ball of Coetzee. De Kock took a record six catches behind the stumps. Maharaj then dismissed captain Shahidi on a ball taking extra bounce.
Omarzai and Rashid Khan kept the score going by making a partnership of 44 runs for the sixth wicket, due to which the team crossed the 150-run mark. But this partnership broke due to the dismissal of Rashid (14 runs). Omarzai then made a partnership of 44 runs with Noor Ahmed (26 runs).