Afghanistan brushes aside inexperienced South Africa by six wickets in 1st ODI

Afghanistan carved out six-wicket victory over inexperienced South Africa on Wednesday in the first one-day international of their three-match series.

Fast bowler Fazalhaq Farooqi and 18-year-old off-spinner AM Ghazanfar dominated the top-order to mark an impressive start for Afghanistan in its maiden bilateral ODI series against South Africa, which crumbled for 106 in 33.3 overs.

A half-century from No. 7 batter Wiaan Mulder (52) carried the team from a precarious 36-7 as the top-order wilted against pace and spin after stand-in captain Aiden Markram won the toss and elected to bat.

Farooqi grabbed 4-35 and Ghazanfar, playing in only his third ODI, bowled an unchanged 10-over spell for an impressive return of 3-20 on a dry and slow wicket of Sharjah Cricket Stadium, hosting its 250th ODI.

Afghanistan didn’t panic to reach 107-4 in 25 overs despite losing Rahmanullah Gurbaz in the first over. Gulbadin Naib (34 not out) and Azmatullah Omarzai (25 not out) eased the chase as both smashed two sixes each.

South Africa top-order batters were guilty of playing expansive shots with Markram and Reeza Hendricks both playing Farooqi back onto their stumps and Tony de Zorzi top-edging the left-arm fast bowler to mid-on.

Ghazanfar, who shared the other new ball with Farooqi, sliced through the middle-order with Tristan Stubbs going for a five-ball duck when he edged the off-spinner to the slips. Jason Smith also fell without scoring in his debut ODI when Ghazanfar rattled the stumps off a superb delivery that spun back into the batter.

And when Andile Phehlukwayo was run out in the 10th over South Africa was in danger to get bowled out for its lowest total of 69 in an ODI before Mulder combined with Bjorn Fortuin (16) and Nandre Burger and carried them beyond the 100-run mark.

Farooqi completed his four-wicket haul when he had Mulder clean bowled off a delivery that kept low. Ace leg-spinner Rashid Khan, who came into the attack soon after the powerplay, claimed 2-30 when he had Fortuin clean bowled with a perfect googly and then had Lungi Ngidi trapped leg before wicket on the back foot.

Most of the frontline South Africa white-ball players are either rested or playing in a T20 domestic league in the West Indies. David Miller, Anrich Nortje, Tabraiz Shamsi and Keshav Maharaj are playing in the Caribbean Premier League. Kagiso Rabada is rested for the series while Marco Jansen and Gerald Coetzer are expected to return in November.

The second match of the series will be played Friday with the final game scheduled for Sunday.