Izatullah Safi (Afghanistan), Langton Rusere (Zimbabwe), Ahmad Shah Pakteen (Afghanistan, TV)
Referee
Richie Richardson (West Indies)
Toss
South Africa elected to bat
OVS
Bowler :
No summary available yet!
000100
Over 23
Runs: 1
141001
Over 24
Runs: 7
011000
Over 25
Runs: 2
242401
Over 26
Runs: 13
All Overs
Player of the Match
Player of the Series
Lucky Winner
Analysis
Weather Update
Sharjah,United Arab Emirates
Updated: 18 Sep 22:30
32.8°CClear
clear sky
3%
Clouds
0%
Rain %
62%
Humidity
7.9 kmph
Wind
Commentary
LATEST UPDATE
COMMENTARY NOT AVAILABLE
The commentary is not available for this match. Please check the scorecard for latest updates.
That is all we have for you from the first of three ODIs between these two sides. Join us right here on Sportskeeda for our coverage of the second ODI in the evening on Friday, and keep an eye on our tabs for a whole lot more in between. This is Rajarshi Das, signing off on behalf of Lavil Saldanha. Good night!
Hashmatullah Shahidi, Afghanistan captain: We look forward to taking the series from South Africa. For that, we are prepared and will want to take on the challenge. (Translated from Pashto)
Bimal Sharma: "Great to see Afghanis flying high, think the Proteas took them very lightly it's time for them for a another setback. Disappointing for the Africans but that's Afghan for you", big moment for the Afghan Atalan - their first win against South Africa in the longer white-ball format!
Match summary:
Afghanistan win by 6 wickets with 24 overs to spare
They had their moments of scare and nerves, but Afghanistan get past the line with relative ease. 50 more runs from South Africa might have made things more interesting - the Proteas had far too little to play with. They kept things tight for a long, long time, picked up wickets, but those breakthroughs, too, came a little too late for their liking.
Gurbaz, in trying to get Afghanistan off to a flyer, flayed his bat at a wide one having run down the wicket against Ngidi two balls in, and picked out Jason Smith at deep backward point. Riaz Hassan and Rahmat Shah then decided to see off the rest of the powerplay like a Test match session, letting the ones outside off stump through and being stoic in defense.
Afghanistan ended the powerplay with a run rate of around two an over, but they lost Rahmat Shah in between to Fortuin. Riaz Hassan slowly began cutting loose after the powerplay, having gotten his eye in. But in trying to go after Fortuin, he ran down the wicket, got nowhere near the ball, and threw a promising start away. Azmatullah Omarzai walked in, had a few sighters, and made his intentions clear by smashing Markram over the long-on boundary.
Markram, though, got in among the wickets - he got one to skid through and pinned Hashmatullah Shahidi in front. Azmatullah Omarzai and Gulbadin Naib proceeded to stitch a steady partnership, the former being the aggressor initially. Naib got in on the act eventually, clobbering Burger for successive sixes in the left-armer's third spell. Naib proceeded to finish things off in style, and the Afghan Atalan rejoice. Presentations in a bit...
Talk about finishing in a flurry! Gulbadin Naib, always the showman, was never going to end the game playing second fiddle!
26
overs
107/4score
2
4
2
4
0
1
runs
Gulbadin Naib*
34(27)
Azmatullah Omarzai
25(36)
Andile Phehlukwayo
0/20
25.6 Andile Phehlukwayo to Gulbadin Naib, ONE RUN! AFGHANISTAN WIN! Full-length delivery on the off stump, Naib hits that one down the ground and picks up a single. That is all for this contest as Afghanistan win this match by six wickets and take a 1-0 lead in the three-match ODI series. Also, Afghanistan have beaten every test side barring India now!
25.5 Andile Phehlukwayo to Gulbadin Naib, full and outside the off stump. Naib hits that one towards extra cover. They decide against the single
25.4 Andile Phehlukwayo to Gulbadin Naib, FOUR! SCORES LEVEL! Dropped short by Phehlukwayo, Naib gets on top of that one and hits it down the ground to long off for a boundary
25.3 Andile Phehlukwayo to Gulbadin Naib, back of a length delivery on the line of the off stump. Naib pulls that one away towards deep midwicket and the pair run hard between sticks for a brace. Only five runs needed now for a win