In a comprehensive display of dominance, Afghanistan dismantled South Africa to clinch a six-wicket triumph in the opening ODI of their three-match series, held on Wednesday at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium.
A combined bowling masterclass from offspinner Allah Ghazanfar and left-arm pacer Fazalhaq Farooqi left from Afghanistan the Proteas reeling, as South Africa collapsed to a paltry 106 all out after electing to bat first.
The 18-year-old Ghazanfar, playing with poise beyond his years, and the ever-reliable Farooqi, shared six wickets between them during the Power Play, rapidly dismantling South Africa’s top order. This catastrophic collapse set the tone for the remainder of the innings, leaving the Proteas floundering against the relentless Afghan attack.
Despite Wiaan Mulder’s valiant effort, scoring a career-best 52 off 84 deliveries, including five boundaries and a towering six, South Africa’s performance remained woefully below par. Mulder’s determined resistance was the solitary bright spot in an otherwise dismal batting performance. His contribution salvaged some respectability from what could have been a far more ignominious scoreline.
South Africa’s bowlers, particularly Lungi Ngidi (4-1-6-1) and Bjorn Fortuin (9-0-22-2), provided fleeting moments of hope, as they applied early pressure on Afghanistan during the chase. However, the meager total they had to defend proved woefully insufficient. Afghanistan’s batsmen navigated the challenge with composure, as Azmatullah Omarzai (25*) and Gulbadin Naib (34*) steered their team to victory with 24 overs remaining.
Farooqi’s early breakthroughs, which dismissed Reeza Hendricks (9) and Aiden Markram (2) with deliveries that induced rash shots, and Tony de Zorzi’s (11) ill-timed pull shot, underscored South Africa’s inability to adapt to the slow, low Sharjah pitch. Ghazanfar’s lethal spin, which claimed the scalps of Tristan Stubbs (0) and Jason Smith (0), exacerbated the Proteas’ woes, with the latter suffering the ignominy of a duck on his ODI debut.
By the end of the Power Play, South Africa found themselves languishing at 37-7. Kyle Verreynne’s (10) brief attempt to stabilize the innings was cut short by a quicker ball from Ghazanfar, trapping him lbw. The nadir came when Andile Phehlukwayo wandered out of his crease, allowing Gulbadin Naib to run him out for a third duck.
Afghanistan’s chase was straightforward. While they lost early wickets, including Rahmanullah Gurbaz (0) and Rahmat Shah (8), the outcome was never in doubt. Captain Hashmatullah Shahidi’s men confidently wrapped up the match, setting the stage for the second and third ODIs, to be played at the same venue on Friday and Sunday.
