South Africa delivered a well-rounded performance with bat, ball, and in the field, while for Afghanistan – making their debut at the tournament – it was a match they’d rather forget.

After winning the toss, the Proteas opted to bat first and posted 315/6 in their allotted 50 overs. However, they might feel they left 20 to 30 runs out there. Despite the flat wickets, South Africa proved disciplined bowling and building pressure can bring success.

Temba Bavuma. Photo: ICC

Ryan Rickelton starred with a Player of the Match performance, scoring his maiden One-Day International century –103 off 106 balls, including seven fours and a six. Captain Temba Bavuma contributed 58, while Rassie van der Dussen and Aiden Markram both chipped in with 52. Markram remained unbeaten, facing just 36 balls in his fluent innings.

For Afghanistan, Mohammad Nabi was the standout bowler, returning figures of 2/51 in his ten overs, while Fazalhaq Farooqi, Azmatullah Omarzai, and Noor Ahmad each claimed a wicket.

In reply, Rahmat Shah fought hard for Afghanistan with a well-played 90 off 92 balls, but none of the other batters produced significant enough innings to challenge South Africa. The next highest scores came from Omarzai (18 off 27) and Rashid Khan (18 off 13).

The Proteas’ seam attack was particularly lethal, with Kagiso Rabada leading the charge, taking 3/36 in 8.3 overs. Wiaan Mulder impressed with 2/36 in nine overs, while Lungi Ngidi finished with 2/56. Marco Jansen was highly economical, conceding just 32 runs in eight overs while taking a wicket. Spinner Keshav Maharaj also chipped in with 1/46 in ten overs, though one expensive over slightly dented his figures.

Afghanistan were bowled out for 208 in 43.3 overs, sealing a comprehensive 107-run win for the Proteas.

Speaking after the match, Rickelton said South Africa’s recent experience in Karachi helped them assess conditions and use them to their advantage.

Rahmat Shah. Photo: ICC

“I think having played a practice game here in Karachi, we knew the wicket could be quite skiddy, so as a group, we focused on hitting a lot straighter,” said Rickelton.

“If it skids, you can get bowled or trapped LBW quite easily. That was a big emphasis for the team. There wasn’t a lot of lateral movement either, which allowed me to get forward and hit down the ground, something I’ve been working on for a while.”

On his recent rise in international cricket, Rickelton expressed his ambition to excel across all three formats. “A few months ago, if you’d asked me whether I’d be sitting here now, I probably would’ve said no. But I’m really trying to simplify my batting.”  

Kagiso Rabada. Photo: ICC

“I have a solid foundation and a clear idea of what I want to achieve. I’ve always wanted to be a three-format player, and it’s nice to see that my performances across all formats in the past two months have been consistent. 

“When I look at guys who excel in all three formats – like Travis Head and Shubman Gill –they play a similar brand of cricket across formats. So, I’m just trying to keep things simple, stay confident, and make an impact.”

The Proteas now turn their attention to their next challenge against Australia on Tuesday in Rawalpindi.

OFM Sport/Morgan Piek dg