Afghanistan Secures Historic ODI Series Win Over South Africa

Afghanistan Secures Historic ODI Series Win Over South Africa

Afghanistan made history by winning their first-ever ODI series against South Africa, clinching the 2nd ODI in Sharjah to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the 3-match series.
Afghanistan vs South Africa ODI

Afghanistan Opt to Bat First

Afghanistan captain Hashmatullah Shahidi won the toss and elected to bat first in the 2nd ODI. The Afghan openers Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Riaz Hassan provided a solid start, with Gurbaz scoring a fluent 88-ball 101. Gurbaz's century, his 6th in ODIs, laid the foundation for Afghanistan's total of 278/5 in their 50 overs.

Rashid Khan's Birthday Five-for
On his 26th birthday, star spinner Rashid Khan produced a match-winning bowling performance, claiming 5 wickets for just 24 runs in his 10 overs. Rashid's spell included the key wickets of South African captain Temba Bavuma and in-form batter Aiden Markram. Despite a fighting 59 from Wiaan Mulder, South Africa was bowled out for 202, handing Afghanistan a 76-run victory.
Rashid Khan celebrating

A Landmark Achievement for Afghanistan

This series win marks Afghanistan's first triumph over South Africa across all formats after six previous encounters. It showcases the rapid progress of Afghan cricket, with the team now having beaten all major cricketing nations except India and Nepal in at least one format.
Looking Ahead to the T20 World Cup Semifinal
Afghanistan will now shift their focus to the T20 World Cup semifinal against South Africa on June 26th in Trinidad. Despite South Africa's superior head-to-head record in T20 World Cups, Afghanistan will be brimming with confidence after their ODI series success. The match promises to be a thrilling encounter between two in-form teams.