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Afghanistan kicked off their ODI series against South Africa in the United Arab Emirates with a resounding 6-wicket win at Sharjah Cricket Stadium. A clinical bowling display by Afghanistan, spearheaded by Fazalhaq Farooqi, left South Africa reeling as they collapsed to 106 all out. Afghanistan chased down the modest target with ease, completing the win in 26 overs.
South Africa’s struggles with the bat
After winning the toss and electing to bat, South Africa had a difficult start as their top order crumbled under pressure from Afghanistan’s bowlers. Reeza Hendricks (9), Tony de Zorzi (11), and stand-in captain Aiden Markram (2) failed to provide any significant resistance. Wiaan Mulder was the only standout performer with the bat, scoring a gritty 52 off 84 balls, including five boundaries and one six.
None of the other South African batters managed to reach double figures, with Tristan Stubbs, Jason Smith, and Andile Phehlukwayo all dismissed for ducks. Afghanistan’s disciplined bowling, led by Farooqi, who claimed 4 wickets for 35 runs, was instrumental in restricting South Africa to a paltry total of 106 in 33.3 overs.
Fazalhaq Farooqi shines with the ball
Farooqi was the star of the show, picking up crucial wickets and ensuring that South Africa never built any momentum. Farooqi bagged four wickets for 35 runs in 7 overs, including a maiden. He was well-supported by Allah Ghazanfar, who returned impressive figures of 3 for 20 from his 10 overs. Rashid Khan also contributed with 2 wickets, adding to South Africa’s batting woes. The Afghan bowlers maintained tight lines throughout, leaving South Africa with no answers to their attack.
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A comfortable chase for Afghanistan
Chasing 107, Afghanistan’s innings got off to a rocky start when Rahmanullah Gurbaz was dismissed for a duck. However, Riaz Hassan (16) and Hashmatullah Shahidi (16) provided some stability before Azmatullah Omarzai (25 off 36) and Gulbadin Naib (34 off 27) took charge to ensure the run chase remained on course. Gulbadin’s aggressive approach, which included three boundaries and two sixes, helped Afghanistan cross the finish line comfortably in just 26 overs.
South Africa’s bowlers tried to keep the game competitive, with Bjorn Fortuin taking 2 wickets for 22 runs in his 9 overs. Lungi Ngidi and Markram also claimed a wicket each, but Afghanistan’s lower middle order held firm to complete the victory.
For his outstanding bowling performance, Farooqi was named Player of the Match. His early breakthroughs set the tone for Afghanistan’s dominance, and his consistent pressure ensured that South Africa could never recover. With this convincing win, Afghanistan leads the three-match ODI series 1-0, and South Africa will need to regroup quickly ahead of the second ODI to avoid losing the series.
