A brilliant bowling display propelled Afghanistan to their first win over South Africa in international cricket on Wednesday night after they bundled their African opponents out for 106 in the first of three ODIs.
The stars of the match were undoubtedly Fazalhaq Farooqi and 18-year-old sensation Mohammad Ghazanfar who shared seven wickets between them.
Having won the toss, South Africa opted to bat first only to be jolted by Farooqi’s early strikes. The left-arm pacer came around the wicket to account for Reeza Hendricks and Aiden Markram early on.
He added the wicket of Tony de Zorzi before Ghazanfar worked his magic on the middle-order, dismissing Tristan Stubbs and debutant Jason Smith for ducks in the same over.
South Africa, reduced to 29/5, soon crumbled to 36/7 as Ghazanfar snared the wicket of Kyle Verreynne and Andile Phehlukwayo succumbed to a run out.
An eighth-wicket partnership of 39 between Wiaan Mulder and Bjorn Fortuin, however, saw them past the danger and threatened to rebuild the innings.
Fortuin was bowled by Rashid Khan, playing his first ODI since last year’s World Cup, but Mulder dragged them past the hundred mark, going on to reach his first ODI fifty.
He fell shortly afterwards to Farooqi, his 52 coming from 84 balls with five fours and a six.
Rashid wrapped up the innings in 33.3 overs when he had Lungi Ngidi leg before to finish with 2-30.
Afghanistan will play the second of three ODI’s against South Africa on Friday.
