Afghanistan vs South Africa Archives

Champions Trophy: Temba Bavuma issues bold statement ahead of Afghanistan clash

KARACHI: South Africa captain Temba Bavuma has made a bold statement ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy opener against Afghanistan, scheduled in Karachi on Friday.

After arriving early in Pakistan for the tri-nation series, South Africa had game time to integrate into the conditions in the series mentioned above.

Addressing the media in a pre-match presser, Bavuma cleared that his team is well-focused and does not carry any past baggage.

“There’s no real negativity or baggage among the guys; we’re coming into this tournament with a lot of positivity and confidence in our ability to go far, said the skipper.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

With the tournament format too competitive, Bavuma highlighted the importance of giving every game equal importance.

“Our mindset is to make sure we pitch up and play our best game of cricket. Hopefully, we’re playing five games and not three in this tournament. Most importantly, we need to win the moments that matter,” he remarked.

Spin-heavy Afghanistan, which will start its inaugural campaign in the ICC Champions Trophy, is expected to give Proteas a tough time.

Temba Bavuma admitted to Afghanistan’s competitiveness, recalling their victory over South Africa in Sharjah last year.

Catch every Champions Trophy update here!

“They’re a highly competitive team with a lot of experience and international pedigree. They won’t be short of confidence coming into this game, said Bavuma.

The right-hander batter stated that he had not looked at the pitch but emphasized that Karachi pitches favour the batters.

However, he further emphasized the need for his bowling unit to remain disciplined and precise to counter the high-scoring trend.

“Our challenge as a bowling unit is to be one of the more disciplined and precise bowling units,” Bavuma said.

South Africa will look to start their campaign on a strong note against Afghanistan after a dismal performance in the tri-nation series.

READ: Champions Trophy: Gill’s century, Shami’s five-fer help India thump Bangladesh

Bowlers wreak havoc as Afghanistan stun South Africa in first ODI

Afghanistan battled their way to a six-wicket win over South Africa in the opening one-day international in Sharjah on Wednesday after skittling the Proteas for just 106.

South Africa avoided their lowest-ever score in an ODI but some fine bowling from opening bowlers Fazalhaq Farooqi, who took 4-35, and AM Ghazanfar, 3-20, ensured that the Afghan batters would have a comfortable chase.

In the event, they lost Rahmanullah Gurbaz to the third ball of the innings, caught at third man off Lungi Ngidi, and when Rahmat Shah was leg before to Bjorn Fortuin the Afghans were wobbling at 15-2.

Fortuin also removed Riaz Hassan for 16 while Aiden Markram, standing in as captain for the sick Temba Bavuma, dismissed Hashmatullah Shahidi.

However, Azmatullah Omarzai (25 not out) and Gulbadin Naib, 34 off 27 balls, saw them home in 26 overs.

After Markram elected to bat first after winning the toss, Reeza Hendricks and Tony de Zorzi added 17 for the first wicket before left-arm quick Farooqi bowled Hendricks for 9 to spark a dramatic collapse which saw South Africa slump to 36-7.

Farooqi added the wickets of Markram (2) and de Zorzi (11) to his tally while Ghazanfar accounted for Tristan Stubbs and Jason Smith, making his ODI debut, for ducks and Kyle Verreynne for 10.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

As if South Africa did not already have enough problems, Andile Phehlukwayo went walkabout as Ghazanfar was appealing for leg before, leaving Nabi to run him out.

With only 10 of the 50 overs bowled, it looked as though South Africa’s record-lowest ODI score of 69, made against Australia in Sydney in 1993, would be in danger.

An eighth-wicket partnership of 39 between Wiaan Mulder and 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 Ngidi leg before finishing with 2-30.

The six-wicket victory gave Afghanistan a 1-0 lead in the three-match series against South Africa. The two sides will lock horns in the second ODI on Friday at the same venue.

READ: Luus’ fifty goes in vain as Pakistan thump South Africa in second T20I

Sharjah Cricket Stadium to host 250th ODI with Afghanistan-South Africa clash

The iconic Sharjah Cricket Stadium is set to host its 250th ODI on Wednesday with Afghanistan taking on South Africa in the milestone match.

Sharjah Cricket Stadium was inaugurated in 1984 during the Asia Cup with Pakistan facing Sri Lanka. Since then the stadium has hosted a record 249 ODIs, which is the highest for any venue.

It’s worth noting that Zimbabwe’s Harare Sports Club is second on the list with 182 ODIs, while the iconic Sydney Cricket Ground is third with 161 matches.

Afghanistan, due to the situation in the country, host their matches in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and India.

They will host South Africa in the three-match ODI series in Sharjah from September 18 to September 22.

Schedule of Afghanistan vs South Africa series

1st ODI — September 18

2nd ODI — September 20

3rd ODI— September 22

Squads

Afghanistan: Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), Rahmat Shah (vc), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ikram Alikhil (wk), Abdul Malik, Riaz Hassan, Darwish Rasooli, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Rashid Khan, Nangyal Kharoti, Allah Mohammad Ghazanfar, Fazal Haq Farooqi, Bilal Sami, Naveed Zadran and Farid Ahmad Malik.

South Africa: Jason Smith, Reeza Hendricks, Temba Bavuma (c), Tony de Zorzi, Aiden Markram, Andile Phehlukwayo, Andile Simelane, Wiaan Mulder, Kyle Verreynne, Tristan Stubbs, Bjorn Fortuin, Lizaad Williams, Lungi Ngidi, Nandre Burger, Nqaba Peter, Ottniel Baartman.

READ: Aakash Chopra ‘doubtful’ of India visiting Pakistan for Champions Trophy

Afghanistan to host first-ever bilateral series against South Africa

Afghanistan will square off against South Africa in a first-ever bilateral series as a three-match ODI series will take place in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in September.

All three matches of the historic series between Afghanistan and South Africa will be held at the iconic Sharjah Cricket Stadium on September 18, 20 and 22 respectively.

Meanwhile, the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) and Cricket South Africa (CSA) have affirmed that their national men’s teams will be colliding for the first time besides the International Cricket Council (ICC) tournaments.

For the unversed, Afghanistan and South Africa have locked horns twice in ODIs during the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2019 and 2023 with the latter emerging victorious in both instances.

The two sides faced each other thrice in T20Is in T20 World Cups 2010, 2016 and 2024. The Proteas boast the perfect record against Afghanistan in the shortest format as well.

Their most recent meeting was when they locked horns in the semi-final of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

The aforementioned fixture was historic for both teams as it marked Afghanistan’s participation in their first-ever Cricket World Cup semi-final while South Africa emerged victorious to seal their maiden final qualification.

Commenting on the development, CSA Chairman Lawson Naidoo termed their first-ever bilateral series against the emerging Asian side a “significant milestone”.

“We are excited to embark on this historic ODI series with Afghanistan, who have become a very competitive all-round team as evidenced by their recent performances in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 and most recently at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024,” stated Naidoo.

“This is a significant milestone in our cricketing relations, and we look forward to a competitive and entertaining series.”

ACB Chairman Mirwais Ashraf, on the other hand, expressed his eagerness to host South Africa and also to play against them “regularly” in the future.

“These fixtures were not initially part of our FTP. Still, based on our productive negotiations with our counterparts at Cricket South Africa, we concluded that we will host the Proteas for an ODI series in September. They are an excellent team, and we are eagerly looking forward to hosting them and playing them regularly in the future,” Ashraf said.

READ: Former Pakistan cricketer calls for relocation of Asia Cup 2025 from India

Afghanistan coach Trott blames pitch after semi-final defeat against South Africa

TAROUBA: Afghanistan head coach Jonathan Trott lambasted on the pitch used for his side’s ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 semi-final against South Africa.

Afghanistan batters found themselves in heaps of trouble against a ruthless South Africa bowling attack on a surface that offered lateral seam and uneven bounce.

The Asian side, after a shaky start, lost wickets at an alarming rate and were eventually bundled out on a meagre 56, their lowest total in Men’s T20Is.

Set to chase a modest 57-run target, South African batters also had to make hard yards to achieve the total which they did for the loss of one wicket and 67 balls to spare.

Speaking after his side’s humiliating defeat, Jonathan Trott said the pitch used was not suitable for such big games.

“I don’t want to get myself into trouble, I don’t want to come across as bitter or sour grapes but that’s not the pitch that you want to have in the semi-final of the World Cup. Plain and simple,” said Trott.

“It should be a fair contest. I’m not saying it should be flat completely with no spin and no seam movement, but you shouldn’t have bets, worrying about going forward and the ball flying over your head.

“T20 is about attacking, scoring runs and taking wickets, not looking to survive.”

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

Jonathan Trott also expressed dissatisfaction with his side’s tight schedule, so they got less time to prepare than their opposition.

“Playing the last group game and then playing the first semi-final isn’t ideal – travelling and not really having, a day off if you like. But that’s not a reason we didn’t win.

“We knew the schedule, so that’s not an excuse as such. In tournaments you can’t have everything your own way, you’ve got to fight and play against the odds. We have done that at times and I’m very proud of that.”

Afghanistan had a campaign to remember in T20 World Cup 2024 as they registered wins over Papua New Guinea (PNG), Uganda and New Zealand in the group stage before triumphing over Australia and Bangladesh in the Super Eights stage to qualify for their first-ever semi-final.

READ: Rashid Khan opens up after crushing semi-final defeat against South Africa