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AFG vs SA 2024, AFG vs SA 1st ODI Match Report, September 18, 2024

Afghanistan 311 for 4 (Gurbaz 105, Omarzai 86*, Rahmat 50, Markram 1-20) vs South Africa

Rahmanullah Gurbaz scored his seventh ODI century, Rahmat Shah his 29th half-century and Azmatullah Omarzai his fastest ODI fifty as Afghanistan reached their sixth-highest total in the format. It was also the tenth time they passed 300 in ODI cricket and the first time against South Africa.

Gurbaz and Shah scored 101 runs on the second wicket, forming the backbone of the Afghan innings, before aggressive partnerships on the fourth and fifth wickets of 55 and 40 runs in 40 and 23 balls respectively provided some acceleration. Omarzai was the strongest batsman in both of these stands, finishing unbeaten on 86 runs in 50 balls.

With temperatures officially at 38 degrees but feeling like 49 degrees at the start of the match, South Africa's bowlers were challenged by both the heat and the opposition. Bjorn Fortuin and Aiden Markram were the most effective players in keeping Afghanistan at bay, conceding a total of 59 runs in 14 overs, but debutant leg-spinner Nqabayomzi Peter was expensive. His ten overs cost 68 runs. Nandre Burger also conceded 68 runs, but Lungi Ngidi was the best seamer, especially at the end of the innings. His eighth and ninth overs cost just ten runs and he finished the match with 1 for 50.

Overall, it was Afghanistan who made the history of the innings, as they made good on Hasmatullah Shahidi's decision to bat first. Gurbaz got things rolling with the first boundary: a massive six over long-off to a Ngidi length ball. He followed it up with a cover drive for four and then two pull shots to Burger's short balls to go from four from his first 15 balls to 24 runs per ball.

Temba Bavuma brought spin in the form of Fortuin in the Powerplay and kept his end quiet, but Burger's insistence on the short ball did South Africa no good early on. His first five-over run cost 32 runs. He was replaced by Peter and South Africa operated with spin from both ends. Peter's first over was tight but he gave away a boundary in each of his next two, including Gurbaz's sweep that brought him to a fifty before Markam took over.

Markram took the first wicket when he overshot Riaz Hassan's inside edge and hit him on the pad above the knee roll. Hassan checked the ball but the ball tracking showed it hit the leg stump. Afghanistan were 88 for 1.

Gurbaz settled down for a few overs, but when Wiaan Mulder came on in the 21st over, he could not resist an onslaught. He hit Mulder over long-on for his second six. What followed was an electrifying batting display from Gurbaz and Rahmat in a stand that seemed to exhaust South Africa. Rahmat hit Markam to third base with a reverse paddle and flicked Mulder for a four, Gurbaz hit Peter over mid-off, mid-wicket and swept Fortuin to deep backward square to get to 90.

Then nerves kicked in. He spent 18 deliveries in the 90s and seven of them in 99, including a first over off Fortuin, inching closer to his milestone. He reached it when he swept Markram past square leg and his reaction was as emotional as can be. Gurbaz dropped his bat and then himself to his knees in Sajdah, then made a heart with his hands and blew a kiss to the dressing room and a spirited Sharjah crowd. In the next over, however, he swung at a burger ball, missed it and was bowled, ending an extraordinary knock. This is also the third year in a row that Gurbaz has scored two hundreds and with this knock Gurbaz has the most ODI hundreds for Afghanistan, surpassing Mohammad Shahzad (6).

Afghanistan had reached 200 after 36 overs and would have hoped for a total of over 300. Peter made it difficult for them before the last ten overs, picking up his first ODI wicket when he pulled back his length as Rahmat was coming towards him and stumped the batsman on 50.

Omarzai's intent in the last quarter was clear when he hit Mulder for a six over long-off two balls in the last ten. He sent Peter twice to the same area and then hit him over mid-wicket for the fourth six and the shot that earned him his half-century after 32 balls. Mohammad Nabi was little more than a spectator in the 55-run stand with Omarzai but when he tried to hit a slower ball from Ngidi, he raced to Bavuma, who flew off for 13.

That brought birthday boy Rashid Khan to the crease and he was immediately in trouble. He hit Ngidi to sweeper cover and ran two, but had to retire at the end of the second run with a hamstring injury. He received treatment on the field, threw the next ball that Peter could not reach, and then injured his hamstring again. Although coach Jonathan Trott indicated he would have liked to have Rashid off, he stuck with Omarzai when he took Afghanistan past 300. Afghanistan scored 93 runs in the last ten overs.

Firdose Moonda is ESPNcricinfo's South Africa and women's cricket correspondent

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