Afghanistan beats South Africa in second ODI; take 2-0 lead in three-match series

Sharjah, Sep 21 (IANS) A superb five-wicket haul by spinner Rashid Khan helped Afghanistan make history on Friday by registering their first ODI series triumph against South Africa with a sensational 177-run victory in the second match of the three-match series here. The 177-run victory is Afghanistan's biggest victory by runs in ODI, bettering the previous best of 154-run win against Zimbabwe.

Afghanistan had won the first match by six wickets on Wednesday and Friday's victory gave them an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series and a memorable series win over another Test-playing nation.

Electing to bat first, Afghanistan rode on a blazing century by opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz and half-centuries by Rahmat Shah (50) and Azmatullah Omarzai (86 not out) to post a challenging total of 311/4 in 50 overs.

In reply, South Africa failed to capitalise on a 73-run opening partnership, suffering a middle and lower order collapse and was bundled out for 134 in 34.2 overs to suffer a massive defeat with around 15 overs to spare. Rashid Khan ended with figures of 9-1-19-5 while Nangeyalia Kharote bagged 5-19 runs as Afghanistan scored a massive victory.

After skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi opted to bat first, Gurbaz scored his seventh hundred in ODIs, breaking Ahmad Shahzad's record for most centuries by an Afghanistan batter.

He raised an 88-run partnership with fellow opener Riaz Hassan (29) for the first wicket, completing his half-century in 56 balls. and then added 101-run for the second wicket with Rahman, who scored a 66-ball 50, hitting two boundaries in the process.

Gurbaz reached the milestone off 107 balls, hammering 10 boundaries and three maximums in the process. He survived a DRS referral on his way to a score of 105 off 110 balls before he was cleaned up by Nandre Burget with a length ball bowled from round the wicket that nipped back and struck the top of the stumps as Gurbaz swung and missed.

Azmatullah Omarzai then took over the responsibility of scoring runs for Afghanistan as he blasted an unbeaten 86 off 50 balls, hitting five boundaries and six massive sixes that propped up the Afghanistan scoring and helped them reach a big total.

Chasing a target of 312, South Africa were off to a good start with skipper Temba Bavuma and Tony de Zorzi taking them to 73 runs in 14 overs. Bavuma scored 38 off 47 deliveries, hitting four boundaries and one six.

Tony de Zorzi contributed 31 runs off 44 balls and after Reeza Hendriks (17) and Aiden Markram 21 helped South Africa reach 103/4 in the 24th over when Cristan Stubbs was out for five. They lost their way from that good position, with seasoned spinner Rashid Khan and left-arm spinner with figures 6.2 resulting in the semi-cautious stage.

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