Gurbaz century leads Afghanistan to comfortable total
A brilliant century from opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz led Afghanistan to an imposing total of 311-4 after choosing to bat first in the second of three one-day internationals against South Africa at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Friday.
The 22-year-old right hander became his country’s leading century maker with his seventh three-figure score in ODIs belting ten fours and three sixes in a wonderful 105 from 110 balls while there were half centuries from Rahmat Shah (50) and Azmatullah Omarzai who smashed an unbeaten 86 from just 50 balls.
The only moment of doubt or uncertainty for Gurbaz came when he faced seven balls on 99 including a maiden from South Africa’s best bowler, Bjorn Fortuin, who conceded only 39 runs from his 10 overs.
Quality ODI hundred by Rehmanullah Gurbaz
— Abdul Ghaffar 🇵🇰 (@GhaffarDawnNews) September 20, 2024
Well deserved appreciation by Big crowd at Sharjah & Gurbaz thanked them with a ❤️ #AFGvSA #tapmad #DontStopStreaming pic.twitter.com/6CtieUSoE4
Fellow opener Riaz Hasan (29) shared a first wicket partnership of 88 in just 17.3 overs to set the innings up on another low, slow pitch which is likely to become increasingly awkward to bat on in the second innings.
Aiden Markram (4-0-20-1) trapped Hasan lbw but Rahmat and Gurbaz added another 101 for the second wicket to pile the pressure on the Proteas bowlers before a tired Gurbaz swung across the line against Nandre Burger (10-0-68-1) and was bowled.
Rahmat charged down the pitch to legspinner Nqaba Peter (10-0-68-1) and was easily stumped by Zyle Verreyne and Mohammad Nabi (13) carved a Lungi Ngidi (10-0-50-1) slower ball to Temba Bavuma on the cover boundary but Omarzai, promoted to No 4, was in scintillating form with five fours and half a dozen sixes.
The intense heat made conditions especially difficult but only partly explained the mistakes, misfields and listlessness of the men in green who had few answers to an impressively paced and controlled batting performance.
South Africa made two changes from the team which lost the first match by six-wickets on Wednesday night with allrounders Jason Smith and Andile Phehlukwayo making way for captain Temba Bavuma (who was ill on Wednesday) and legspinner Nqaba Peter.
The Proteas were dismissed for a miserable 106 on Wednesday and Afghanistan strolled to their first ODI victory against the Proteas with 24 overs and six wickets in hand. They begin the second innings as strong favourites to win the series with a match to spare.
AFGHANISTAN: Riaz Hassan, Ikram Alikhil (wkt), Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi (captain), Azmatullah Omarzai, Gulbadin Naib, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Nangeyalia Kharote, Allah Ghazanfar, Fazalhaq Farooqi
SOUTH AFRICA: Temba Bavuma (captain), Tony de Zorzi, Reeza Hendricks, Aiden Markram, Tristan Stubbs, Kyle Verreynne (wkt), Wiaan Mulder, Bjorn Fortuin, Nandre Burger, Nqaba Peter, Lungi Ngidi
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