A magnificent five-wicket haul by spinner Rashid Khan helped Afghanistan script history on Friday as they produced their first ODI series victory against South Africa with a sensational 177-run victory in the second match of the three-match series here. The victory by 177 runs is Afghanistan's biggest win in terms of runs in ODI, surpassing their previous best of a 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 response, South Africa could not capitalize on a 73-run opening partnership, lost wickets in the middle and lower order, and were bowled out for 134 in 34.2 overs as they were beaten by a massive margin with around 15 overs to spare. Rashid Khan ended with figures of 9-1-19-5 while Nangeyalia Kharote bagged 4-26 runs as Afghanistan scored a massive victory.
Afghanistan skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi chose to bat first, as Gurbaz completed his seventh ODI hundred to break Ahmad Shahzad's record for most hundreds by an Afghanistan batter.
He helped improve the first wicket partnership with fellow opener Riaz Hassan with 29. He made his half-century in 56 balls before adding 101 for the second wicket with Rahmat, who scored a 66-ball 50, hitting two boundaries.
Gurbaz scored all his runs off 107 balls, belting 10 boundaries and three sixes 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 round the wicket that nipped back and struck the top of the stumps as Gurbaz swung and missed.
Soon after this Azmatullah Omarzai took on the responsibility of scoring runs for Afghanistan as he hit an unbeaten 86 off 50 balls, bludgeoning five boundaries and six mighty sixes that propped up the Afghanistan scoring and helped them reach a big total.
Chasing a target of 312, South Africa got 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 smashed 31 off 44 balls, and even when Reeza Hendriks (17) and Aiden Markram (21) took South Africa through to 103/4 in the 24th over, after losing Cristan Stubbs for five, they lost their way from a good position after Rashid Khan and Nangeyalia Kharote triggered a collapse.
Brief scores:
Afghanistan 311/4 in 50 overs (Rahmanullah Gurbaz 105, Rahmat Shah 50, Azmatullah Omarzai 86 not out; Aiden Markram 1-20) beat South Africa 134 all out in 34.2 overs (Temba Bavuma 38, Tony de Zorzi 31; Rashid Khan 5-19, Nangeyalia Kharote 4-26) by 177 runs.
