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Rickelton and Rabada lead SA to commanding win over Afghanistan

football21 February 2025 16:45
By:Neil Manthorp
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A meticulously composed maiden ODI century from Ryan Rickelton and highly disciplined, aggressive fast bowling saw South Africa storm to a commanding 107-run victory against Afghanistan in their opening Champions Trophy match at the National Stadium in Karachi on Friday.

Rickelton’s 103 and half centuries from captain Temba Bavuma (58), Rassie van der Dussen (52) and Aiden Markram (52*) saw South Africa pile up an impressive total of 315-6 after choosing to bat first before Kagiso Rabada (3-36) led the way with the ball to dismiss the Afghans for a meagre 208 in 43.3 overs.

Left-hander Rickelton cut, drove and pulled boundaries when the opportunities presented themselves but mostly it was a brilliant display of manoeuvring the ball into gaps and running well to reach his hundred from 101 balls with just seven fours and one six.

Bavuma fulfilled his role perfectly by batting until the 29th over during a second-wicket partnership of 129 with Rickelton after the early loss of Tony de Zorzi (11) who chipped a tame catch to mid-on against veteran offspinner Mohammad Nabi.

Bavuma’s primary objective was to keep wickets in hand although he played some smart sweeps and scoop-sweeps against the spinners on his way to 58 from 76 balls (5x4) before toe-ending a pull shot against Nabi to deep midwicket.

Van der Dussen was consequently able to play with rare freedom driving and late-cutting three fours and slog-sweeping a pair of sixes before miscuing a drive against left arm wrist spinner Noor Ahmad to captain Hashmatullah Shahidi at cover to depart for an excellent 52 from 46 balls.

Markram added a third, unbeaten half century in the closing overs to push the total beyond 300 to leave Afghanistan with what would have been their highest successful ODI run-chase in order to win.

Markram also benefitted from the sizeable platform and struck some glorious, classic drives through the off side to finish unbeaten on 52 from just 36 balls with six fours and a six while Wiaan Mulder finished the innings with a flourish striking the final ball for a six to finish on 12* from six balls.

David Miller (14) was undone by a brilliant catch on the deep cover boundary by Rahmat Shah who held a sliced drive against left-arm seamer Fazalhaq Farooqi and Marco Jansen was bowled first ball by Azmatullah Omarzai.

As well as South Africa batted Afghanistan did themselves no favours in the field conceding at least a dozen ‘extra’ runs while 40-year-old Nabi was the pick of the attack with 2-51 from his 10 overs.

SHAH SHINES BUT AFGHAN BATTERS OUTCLASSED

Afghanistan were thoroughly outclassed in the run chase and never remotely threatened the target, Rahmat Shah’s fine innings of 90 from 92 balls merely offering a degree of respectability to the final score.

Lungi Ngidi (2-56) struck first with a short ball to remove dangerous opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz (10) and Rabada ripped through fellow opener Ibrahim Zadran to bowl him for 17.

Jansen produced a delightful piece of athleticism from mid on to run out Sediqullah Shah (16) with a direct hit and a frustrated captain, Hashmatullah Shahidi, slogged his fourth ball from Mulder to Bavuma at mid-on without scoring.

Rabada, Jansen (1-32) and Ngidi ripped through the lower order and, although Rashid Khan clubbed three fours and a six in a briefly entertaining cameo of 18 from 13 balls, the result was never in doubt and Keshav Maharaj (1-46) had him caught to ensure all five bowlers featured in the wickets column.

Heinrich Klaasen was omitted from the Proteas XI “as a precaution” because of a soft tissue injury to his left elbow while Maharaj was selected as the sole spinner in an otherwise all pace attack.

South Africa’s second match is against Australia on 25 February and they conclude the group stage against England on 1 March.

The semifinals will be played on 4 and 5 March with the final on Sunday 9 March.

South Africa: Ryan Rickelton (wk), Tony de Zorzi, Temba Bavuma (captain), Rassie van der Dussen, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Marco Jansen, Wiaan Mulder, Kagiso Rabada, Keshav Maharaj, Lungi Ngidi

Afghanistan: Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Sediqullah Atal, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi (captain), Azmatullah Omarzai, Gulbadin Naib, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Noor Ahmad

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