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.
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.
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